


The Secrets Deep Within

by RiverHeadCF



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Domestic Bughead, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Juggie, Romance, Teen Pregnancy, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 23:18:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 51
Words: 151,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10796832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiverHeadCF/pseuds/RiverHeadCF
Summary: What if there was more to Betty's vendetta against Chuck Clayton, more to her darkness? What secret is Betty working to keep buried? Can Jughead help her through? And, what else will come their way? Join this emotional, heart-breaking journey to heal and learn that love really can conquer all.





	1. Unwilling Participant

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Welcome to my new story, my first Riverdale fic. I have been completely hooked on this show (+ Bughead!) of late. In the lead up to this weeks big reveal, I've rewatching a couple of episodes and one thing that I've been thinking about is how I feel like there was more to Betty's dark side and the story in the way she was with Chuck in both episode 3 and episode 10. So, I've taken it on myself to do that explaining!

**CHAPTER ONE: Unwilling Participant**

Not too long ago, it was a cold, dark night when five teenagers crept through the empty halls of Riverdale High and found what they were looking for.

A little, black playbook full of conquests...

Upon discovering their finding, everyone had been far too shocked, too disgusted or too stunned by the findings to _truly_ analyse it and its content.

... No one had noticed that on the second to last page, there was the name of _another_ Cooper on that sickening list, in that book.

CHUCK| Betty (9) - _unwilling participant_ , double points bonus = 18

 _Unwilling participation..._ Rape.

It had happened one night just after Archie had rejected Betty for anything more than friends.

Unwilling? That was one thing for sure.

It was just after Jason Blossom's death, but just before the small town of Riverdale was shaken to the core, learning that not only was Jason's a tragic death, but rather a tragic _murder_.

It was _before_ the town began checking that their doors and windows were locked at night... _Before_ they started using their cars, rather than walking into school or work... _Before_ they started to look behind their shoulder every few minutes... _Before_ they felt that Riverdale was a safe place to live.

 **That** was when it happened. The worst night of Betty's life at the hands of Chuck Clayton and all just for bragging rights and a bunch of disgusting points.

After the incident with Veronica, Betty had tried _so_ hard to work along with Ethel and the other girls to expose Chuck and his friends and their sickening game that had been at the cost of the lives of so many girl's.

Betty had done it for Ethel... for Polly... for _her_...

But, unlike Ethel, she **couldn't** go on the record. She wanted to. She wanted justice. She wanted Chuck and the other boys to pay, but she couldn't; despite being the greatest victim of them all on that list... Instead, she wanted to suppress what happened to _her_.

So, after it happened, she tried to hide it, she tried to take charge of her life and move on. Forget about it and just _move on_.

What difference would anyone finding out make _now_? Chuck's a juvenile. He'd get a slap on the wrists, maybe some community stint or a very brief stint in juvenile detention. What difference would it make on _him_ , when it means sharing her darkest secret, the worst moment of her existence, with her boyfriend, her friends, her family and her whole town?

Besides, who would believe her now? She had been the ring-leader and instigator of bringing justice to Ethel and the other girls. People would reason that if Betty had a personal experience to share, she would have shared it _then_.

Betty Cooper's life has been settling down again, anyway.

She found some of the justice and some peace that she'd been seeking for what happened to her, at least to a degree, when Chuck and his friends were outed and punished for their disgusting game.

Too, she's found happiness with the man that she's known for most of her life, finding love in an unexpected place, with Jughead.

 _Jughead_...

Jughead.

Betty is jolted from her thoughts by Jughead as he complacently waves a hand in front of her face, seeing as repeating her name hadn't worked.

"Sorry. I was in my own little world... What is it?"

"Uh, can't remember now... It wasn't important. But, uh, Bets, you okay?"

Betty is quick to give Jughead a smile in her attempt to alleviate any suspicion or further questions.

It does _not_ work.

Unfortunately for Betty, Jughead knows her far too well. His concern for her is not dismissed in the slightest.

"Bets, you _would_ tell me, you'd talk to me is there is something wrong, right?"

Betty just gives him a smile.

She can't bring herself to lie and to say that _of course she would_ when Jughead is just one of the many people that she has to keep her darkest secret from.

However, unfortunately for Betty, no matter how hard you try to push some things down; secrets always have a way of pushing through to the surface and making themselves known...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we have the first chapter. It's short, but it's a start. I find opening chapters almost always are short. If I keep going the chapters will get longer.
> 
> Seeing as I've rated this 'T', I'm going to try to just elude to Betty's rape, rather than go into any details of the actual incident.
> 
> Now, I have plans for this story, but I'm not confident on whether or not I'll keep it up or keep going. If you'd like me to and if you're interested in reading on, let me know.
> 
> Next chapter: Betty is forced to admit that everything's not okay, but will she confide in Jughead? Plus, Betty's in for a surprise of her own.


	2. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What’s the only thing that’s worse than reliving your nightmares every single night?

**CHAPTER TWO: Nightmares**

Betty Cooper jolts upright in bed, her chest rasping as she pants breathlessly.

Every night since the attack she has woken up out of breath and in a sweat, forced to relieve the nightmare... Every. Single. Night.

After a few minutes, she begins to control her breathing, she starts to see clearer in the dark room and become assured that she is safe, sound and most importantly, _alone_ , from where she is tucked up in her own room and her own bed.

Before it’s even struck 5 AM, Betty crawls out of bed, turns her lamp on and wraps her dressing gown around her, knowing that she won’t be getting anymore sleep tonight.

Ever since Jason Blossom’s murder most of the residents of Riverdale have had night terrors for the unknown murderer, the unknown evil, whoever may be lurking in the shadows.

But, for Betty Cooper, her night terrors have been for Chuck Clayton. The evil she _knows_...

The night of her attack, she’d been upset, Archie had just rejected her. She was suffering a broken heart and the loss of her best friend all in one swift hit.

By just after midnight, she had had enough of trying to conceal and mute her sobs from in her room. Her mother had already paid her one visit that night to emphasise the fact that it was a _good thing_ that nothing was to come of her and Archie, since Alice Cooper was not a fan of the boy-next-door. However, that is exactly **not** what any broken-hearted, rejected, teenage girl wants to hear at a time like that.

So, she’d snuck out and gone off for a walk, crying to herself through the dead of night until a voice in darkness alerted her to the fact that she wasn’t _so_ alone.

“Betty? Is that you?”

Chuck had been walking along the same street; one of Riverdale’s most desolate, hearing the cries of his fair-haired classmate before he’d seen her.

Initially, he’d raced over, checking if it was Betty and asking what was wrong, just receiving an incoherent response from her.

So, he wrapped an arm around the girl who trusted the familiarity of her classmate far more than she should have.

He held her there in his arms for a few moments, before moving his arms and his head slightly, being quick and swift to change the course of the comfort before she knew what was happening.

The next thing she knew, she was being kissed, she was being grabbed and she was being restrained. The embrace was no longer a hug. Now it was a strangle -an attack- and the worst was not over yet...

At the resurgence of that awful, inerasable memory, Betty can feel the shivers shooting down her spine, coursing through her body.

She would _not_ be getting any more sleep tonight...

#

Later that same morning, at a far more respectable hour, Betty is drifting her way through the school hallways, books and folders in hand, on the way to her next class.

Turning out of a classroom, Jughead spots his girlfriend further down the hallway, easily catching up to her and slinging an arm around her back from behind, with the idea for them to walk side-by-side.

However, from the second Jughead lays a gentle, loving hand on Betty, he can feel the intensity of her jolt and he can feel every muscle in her back and shoulders tensing up as she swings around to see who has touched her.

“Sorry” Jughead is quick to say and instantly feeling obliged to apologise, seeing as his intention for a sweet gesture feels as though it has backfired completely. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Oh, it’s okay. I just had a couple of other things on my mind. Wasn’t expecting it” Betty says, desperately trying to settle her pounding heartbeat and the shaking of her hands after her boyfriend’s unexpected greeting.

“You look like you barely slept last night, no offence.”

“None taken” Betty just chuckles lightly. “I _feel_ like I barely slept last night.”

He presses a kiss to her temple as they walk through the hallway alongside each other. “What’s your last lesson of the day today?”

“I have a free period. I’m planning to catch up on a bit of study before I meet up with you at the Blue & Gold after school.”

“That’s sounding a hell of a lot better than History is. Then again, you’re the only student that uses free periods for _actual_ study... By the way, after class, I might be a few minutes late. I’m going to the paper via the staff room to collect something for a piece.”

From where she is being held close to his body as they stroll the hallway together, side-by-side, Betty looks to her boyfriend giving Jughead both a nod and a smile in response.

“No worries. I can hold the fort.”

“I _know_ you can” Jughead replies quickly, a little grin beginning to take form on his lips, before being suppressed into a small smirk.

#

At the end of the school day, Betty was quick to reach the newsroom for the Blue & Gold, busying herself with the mountain of work that she’s grown to expect from the monumental task of reinstating the newspaper.

She’s currently laying out her paperwork from her folders, aligning her tasks for the afternoon with what has already been done with what still needs to be done.

As she’s handing an assortment of papers, she hears the door of the newsroom click open for long enough to someone to walk through, before closing shut again.

She’s distracted from her surprise at just how fast her boyfriend had been with his own after-class errands. She hadn’t really expected him to join her for at least another ten minutes or so, at least.

“Well that was quick” Betty grins, looking over her shoulder to where she _expects_ to see her boyfriend.

But, instead, the smile is wiped off her face in an instant, her blood running cold and her heart beginning to pound inside her chest.

“ _Chuck_...”

What’s the only thing that’s _worse_ than reliving your night terrors? ... The most horrific night of your life in what is supposed to be the safety and comfort of your own room and your own bed...?

The only thing that is worse is being stuck on the other side of a closed room _with_ your nightmare...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read the last chapter, dropped a kudos, a bookmark or a comment. THANK YOU! I hope you continue to join Betty, Jughead & I on this roller-coaster. I have so much planned!
> 
> Next chapter: Chuck confronts Betty, but why? Will she be okay?
> 
> P.S. Happy Riverdale Reveal Day!


	3. Confrontations & Bluffs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After confronting her in the newsroom, what does Chuck want? Will Jughead get to her before he strikes again?

**CHAPTER THREE: Confrontations & Bluffs**

From across the room, Betty jolts as soon as she sees the man who has just walked in.

...The man that is most certainly _not_ her boyfriend, who she had been expecting to see.

"Chuck. Get out!" Betty attempts to say firmly, but she can't control the quiver of fear in her voice.

Quickly, Betty stands behind a desk on the side of the room. There isn't much furniture in that old room, but she just has to find something to steady her trembling body and to protect herself against Chuck, like she hadn't be able to on the horrific night that she has agonised over mentally reliving each night since.

Betty can't let her guard down. She can't let him get to her. She can't let him win... _again_.

However, unfortunately for Betty, she also can't control her subconscious jolts and shakes; the raw, lingering scars from the damage that had already been done.

"Have you told Jughead anything?" Chuck asks with an urgency in his voice as he whips his head around just to make sure that they really are alone.

Betty simply scoffs, equally stunned at the irony of the situation and the audacity that Chuck has to ask her that question. In fact, the irony of it provides a welcome distraction for her as she tries to maintain a strong composure against him.

"Seriously? You _seriously_ have the nerve to ask me whether or not I have told my boyfriend that you assaulted me? That you raped me?! Go to hell, Chuck."

"Look, Betty, we _both_ know that it wasn't like that..." Chuck tries to reason as he gestures with an arm out in her direction while he takes a few steps closer towards her.

Tears prick Betty's dilated eyes, but she remains determined to stay strong, calm and determined not to let Chuck win, again.

"What? It _wasn't_ like you went from hugging me to restraining me? It _wasn't_ like you ignored the word 'no'? Oh, we **both** know that that's _exactly_ what it was like... So, let's go back to your question, shall we? _Does_ Jughead know? Maybe I've told him, maybe I've told _more_ people than just him..."

As she speaks, Betty finds a surprising slither of strength to stand up against her attacker, crossing her arms in front of her to strengthen her body language and turn the games back on him.

"Because, why stop at Jughead? Wouldn't you like to know who else I have, or have not told? ... My friends, perhaps? Your parents? Your _little_ _sister_ who idolises you? How about Sherriff Keller? I'm sure he'd be interested. Or, your adoring grandmother, maybe? Oh, wouldn't she be _so_ proud of you? ... Or, maybe I could just tell them **all** , one by one..."

In that moment, Betty feels empowered speaking up against the man on the other side of the room, feeling like the tables are turning just a little as she takes charge of the situation.

"You see, that **is** the question isn't it, Chuck... Who else knows what heinous thing you did? Who else wouldn't want to be left alone with you? Who else is disgusted as soon as they hear your name? Well, I hope you enjoy having no clue as to who may or may not know what you did. Because, now, every time you meet someone new, every time you see someone flinch when they hear the name 'Chuck Clayton', you can agonize over whether or not they've heard about you, whether or not they know... Whether or not Betty Cooper told them."

There is a fleeting moment of weakness in Chuck's eyes, before it passes over with a wave of confidence as he attempts to degrade Betty's _own_ self-confidence.

"No one will believe you... You're just a crazy Cooper."

"Huh. Is that right? It would make _no sense_ to believe someone who says they have been raped by someone with priors for sexual harassment... No sense at all, right?"

Betty's response only maddens Chuck as his eyes tighten in an intense glare towards the girl on the other side of the room.

 _Despite_ how empowered she's feeling in that moment at seeing the fleeting glimpse of Chuck's own weakness, Betty is grateful not to know what would have followed after that glare from her attacker, when the door swings open again.

From the second he opens the door of the newsroom and from the moment he catches a glimpse of his girlfriend across the other side of the room, Jughead instantly feels uncomfortable. He can feel the palpable tension in the room and while might not be that obvious to the untrained eye, Jughead can sense just how uncomfortable his girlfriend is right now.

"Betts...?" Jughead asks cautiously, immediately making his way over to the other side of the room, to be with her as he looks for some explanation as to why his girlfriend and Chuck are alone together and what's propelling the obvious tension between the two.

Although he can't quite tell what is happening in this room, or _why_ , what Jughead can sense is that despite her ferocity and strength in this moment, he can tell that Betty needs some support. Only Jughead knows her well enough to recognise that beyond her facade and deep within, she's _not_ okay.

"Are you _really_ still hung up on Betty for helping those girls get justice? Build a bridge across Sweetwater River and get the hell over it. Actions have consequences, knucklehead. Leave her alone."

Just seconds ago, Chuck had not been pleased by Jughead's presence when he entered that room; a fact that was only made perfectly clear by his demeanor and the glares in his direction.

However, as soon as Jughead speaks up, referring to the book of conquests and his own surprise party, a smug smile ripples across Chuck's lips.

In his well-meaning intentions to defend Betty, Jughead has just revealed the fact that he doesn't have a _clue_ behind the greater meaning of the tension in that room, that there is more to it than just 'justice for Ethel'.

Unintentionally, Jughead has just sabotaged Betty's threats of who she has or has not told, revealing the fact that the man closest to her doesn't have a clue about _her_ attack... That it was just a bluff.

"Mm. Right _just_ those other girls" Chuck smirks, looking straight at Betty, both of them knowing her threats had been for nothing and knowing that her bluff has just been called. "You're right. I _should_ just get over it. After all, no one _really_ believes it anyway..."

Jughead just rolls his eyes at the oozing arrogance of the man on the other side of the room who has zero repentance for the book of conquests that had been revealed.

He's grateful as Chuck takes a few steps backwards, chuckling to himself about something that is anything _but_ funny, as he shakes his head and finally, walks out.

After Chuck leaves, it takes Jughead a moment, before he can feel Betty's hyperventilating breathing as he holds her and it takes him a moment to realise that she is really _not_ okay.

The second after her attacker left the room, Betty's strength and her ferocity that she had managed to maintain for the entire confrontation suddenly comes crumbling down in front of Jughead.

All of it.

After all, the moment she had seen that it was Chuck, not Jughead, who had entered the newsroom just ten minutes earlier, Betty had immediately focused on pouring every ounce of strength that she has into making sure that she didn't let her guard down and making sure that she didn't let him win.

Now that he's gone and now that Betty's left with the security of her boyfriend's arms, her mask and her facade of strength against him is torn off and ripped away.

As her heart pounds from within her, Betty's breaths become shorter and shorter, her body growing warmer and warmer as she shakes, trembling, trying to steady her breathing, calm her thoughts and reassure herself that he's gone, all at once.

Jughead feels as though his attempts to comfort his girlfriend during her panic attack are feeble and he hates that he feels like there's nothing that he can do to help her. However, he is all the while preoccupied with one pounding question that he is unable to ignore after feeling the tension in room he walked into just minutes ago...

Does he _really_ know all the facts about what went down with Betty and Chuck?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: As he comforts her through her panic attack, Jughead's suspicions grow.
> 
> P.S. Bring on the season final! From what I've read about it so far, I am getting a little worried about Bughead... And I'm very worried about how I'm going to cope between the break of this season and next!


	4. Something More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead comforts Betty in the wake of her panic attack, growing closer and closer to her secret...

**CHAPTER FOUR: Something More**

After Chuck confronted Betty in the _Blue & Gold_ newsroom, it took a good twenty minutes after he'd left for her to move away from an inconsolable level of upset.

Jughead hates it. He hates seeing her upset. He hates feeling so helpless.

He may be just a little biased, but Jughead is confident that she is the strongest woman he knows, so seeing her so, completely upset, kills him. In fact, he might not know exactly _why_ she is, but one thing that Jughead feels sure of is that Betty's not just upset, she's _broken_.

After twenty minutes, her tears are reduced to sniffles, her breathing begins to normalise, she only takes little rasps of air occasionally now and her trembling has decreased to just gentle shakes.

Now that her panic attack has subsided for the most part, Jughead and Betty are sitting with their backs against the wall of the newsroom, her in his arms. From where they're sitting side-by-side, he presses a kiss to her hair that she's wearing in her usual, perfect ponytail, stroking the side of her head comfortingly.

"How are you feeling?" Jughead asks in little more than a whisper, sensing that she's finally out of the woods after her panic attack.

"I'm okay, just a little tired. Thank you..."

Pressing another kiss to her hair, Jughead sighs. He's not surprised. Just minutes earlier she had been hysterically distressed. No wonder she's feeling a little tired after that.

" _Thank you_? I've just spent the last twenty minutes wishing that there's more that I could do to help you. I did _nothing_ , Betts."

Regardless of how little her boyfriend _feels_ as though he's done to help her, Betty shifts just a little and she presses a kiss to his jaw which is the closest, easiest surface of him for her to reach from where she's resting against his chest, feeling absolutely drained.

The two stay sitting in the silence together, staying in their embrace on the ground of the newsroom floor that doesn't feel so cold. He is gently stroking her shoulder with his thumb from where his arm is wrapped around her, holding her close to him as she nestles into his chest.

The two stay silent, enjoying the moment of peace and calm until Jughead speaks up, raising the question that he just cannot ignore any longer.

"Betts...? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be all how-dare-you-speak-to-another-guy protective, but what were you and Chuck doing in here? Why were you two alone?"

Before she even speaks a word, before she gives her boyfriend one reason or excuse, she squirms uncomfortably in his arms, no doubt from his question.

"I can't say. I mean, I don't know... I didn't _arrange_ to meet up with him. He just came in after I'd started working on the paper, when I was waiting for you."

Jughead just nods at her explanation, his strokes on her arm becoming marginally more frequent as he notices her breaths becoming shorter. He can tell that she's getting more worked up from just _mentioning_ why they were in the same room.

He leaves it a minute before he says anything more on the matter. It's long enough for her to calm down, but not long enough for the topic to be forgotten completely.

"It's just that I didn't think that you two would be wanting to have too much to do with each other seeing as the last time you were in the same room, it ended in a fist-fight."

"Oh, yeah...? And _who_ started that fist-fight, Romeo?"

Betty feels Jughead's shrug from where she's curled up in his arms, without needing to see it.

"Dunno. I heard it was some charming, suave gentleman who was just trying to stand up for his girl..."

" _Spoken_ like a true gentleman..." she just adds in a feeble attempt at a joke that is unsurprisingly half-hearted, due to the way that she's feeling.

However, what is **not** a half-hearted joke is the way that she leans up once again to press a kiss to his cheek.

When Chuck had started to tell her boyfriend, her friends and their classmates about the night that she, Veronica and Ethel had conspired to bring Chuck down, she was grateful for how understanding and supportive Jughead had been. Despite how mortified that she had felt in that moment, sitting there and squirming in her seat, she was grateful to her boyfriend for standing up for her - _even_ if it was in a violent manner-, taking her side of the story that she hadn't even told him about.

After he had found out about that night, about what happened in that spa from Chuck, Jughead didn't react badly, he didn't back away when the perfect facade of Betty Cooper began to be stripped away.

No, he only supported her and in fact he made her feel so trusting and so at ease that she'd even dared to reveal the secret that lay within her scarred palms.

She knows that she should trust him **now** , too. She knows that she should trust him again; enough to tell him what she is sure that he beginning to catch onto.

"So, why did he approach you in here?"

"He wanted to know if you knew-" Betty starts to say before trailing off, unable to bring herself to conclude that sentence, leaving the open-ended sentence up to interpretation, only piquing Jughead's curiosity more.

She knows that she _should_ trust him now.

She knows that she should trust him _again_.

She _wants_ to trust him with her secret; with her emotional scars from that night.

But, as much as she _wants_ to trust him and as much as she knows that she _can_ trust him, Betty just can't bring herself to say the words to her boyfriend...

Jughead can feel her trembling from within his arms again. No matter how much he might want to know what came at the end of Betty's sentence and what Chuck wanted to know if he knew, Jughead knows not to push her when she's so fragile, hanging on by a thread.

He leaves it for a few moments before he speaks up again, trying to do so as gently as he can.

"Betts, I don't know if you realise this, but when your panic attack started, I was trying to comfort you and hold you and you said some things... You called me Chuck... You started saying ' _no Chuck, I said no'_ , over and over again..."

The short answer is _no_.

No, Betty _hadn't_ realised what she'd said in the heat of the moment, when her body was in overdrive and her words were unfiltered. She _hadn't_ realised that she'd let go of so much of her secret and so much of her nightmares to her boyfriend subconsciously.

He can feel how uptight she is growing from within his arms, so he attempts to inject a little humour into the moment to help his girlfriend feel even just a little more relaxed.

"Now, calling me Chuck was just plain insulting, Cooper. I've been working out, and it's all for nothing... You didn't even recognise me from how much more fit and toned I am than some peasant jock... I'm hurt... _deeply_. In fact, I don't know if I can bounce back from this..."

She lets out a quiet giggle at his joke from where her head is resting into his chest, before she shoves him just gently in the stomach at the joke.

Her breathing steadies itself and he can feel her calming down, into him. In fact, he can feel that the further that she sinks into him, the most relaxed and calm she has been since her panic attack.

He doesn't want to disturb her calm, but he also needs the answer to his growing number of questions...

He needs to know whether there's more to the tense confrontation between his girlfriend and the jock that he'd walked into earlier today...

He needs to know whether there's more to Betty's panic attack that followed it...

He needs to know whether there's more to the reason why she seemed to try and tell him something just a few minutes ago, but she couldn't...

"Betts...? What's going on? Everything that Chuck said at my party, everything that you told me afterwards at _Pop's_ , is that the truth? Is that the **whole** story?"

Betty shifts herself, regretfully moving away from her boyfriend's chest in order to look him in the eyes, hers growing moist and glazed-over.

"I don't want to lie to you... You're right, Juggie. There _is_ more to the story. But, I just need a little bit more time before I can tell you that story..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, Jughead's getting closer and closer to the truth. Will Betty finally tell him, or will he find out for himself first?
> 
> Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. The more feedback I get, the more motivated I get to edit the next chapter, ha ha.
> 
> Next chapter: The next one's a big one! Betty's life is changed forever... What happens?


	5. Ignorance Is Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty is forced to face some life-changing news...

**CHAPTER FIVE: Ignorance Is Bliss**

Just lately, Betty Cooper is growing accustomed to ignoring things.

It's just a few days after Chuck confronted her in the _Blue & Gold_ newsroom, inducing a panic attack. It's just a few days later when she chooses to ignore a few particular details as she is getting ready for school one morning...

 _The waves of nausea she's feeling...?_ She **must** have got out of bed too quickly.

 _The tightness to her favourite sweaters...?_ The washing machine **has** been shrinking things just a little lately.

 _The slight swell to her abdomen...?_ She really **did** have a large serving of dinner last night.

 _The absence of periods just lately...?_ She always **has** been irregular and she has been under considerable stress lately, so it's hardly surprising.

... It's all fine. It's all perfectly **normal**.

Well, at least that's what she keeps telling herself...

#

The beginning of the lunch break has just begun on that same day as each member of the group slowly makes their way out to join the table.

Jughead and Archie had been the first two to arrive. They were followed by Veronica and Betty, when last but not least, Kevin Keller's presence completes the table.

As he takes a seat at the table, Kevin's face creases with concern for his blonde-haired friend who he is sitting across from on the cold, metal benches today.

"Hey, Betty... Are you okay? You look really pale..."

Before Betty responds to her friends concern, she quickly glances over to her boyfriend who just raises a single eyebrow at her, knowingly.

Earlier that day, Jughead had brought the exact _same_ point to her attention, but she'd just fobbed it off. She told him that it must be the lighting or he's just seeing things.

"I'm fine. I feel fine. I think that I just skipped on breakfast this morning when I probably shouldn't have."

"No way, Mama Cooper _let_ her baby bird skip a meal?!" Jughead teases, shifting away from his girlfriend who he had been cuddled up to, standing up from the bench they were sharing together, in order to yell out a warning to their fellow students after Betty's comment to Kevin.

"... Keep calm people, the world's ending!"

Betty giggles to herself, before she tugs at the hem of Jughead's shirt, encouraging him to sit back down with her again.

"Get down you goof... I want my pillow back."

"It'll cost you" Jughead smirks as he takes his seat beside Betty once again, both of them instantly relaxing into each other.

Betty grins in response, gladly planting a kiss on her boyfriend's lips. "Are we even now?"

Jughead simply scrunches his nose up nonchalantly, Betty erupting in giggles as she gives his shoulder a gentle push.

"Aw, man. If you two weren't so darned cute, I know that I would be so irritated" Veronica smiles, watching the couple at the table adoringly.

Suddenly the red-head at the table pulls himself away from his lunch for long enough to pitch in and retort to Veronica's cooing.

"Wait, you're saying you're **not** _so_ irritated by those two?"

Archie grins at the raven-haired girl sitting beside him who responds firstly with an unimpressed eye-roll in his direction.

"Young love, Archie-kins..." Veronica comments as she hooks an arm through Archie's.

"... It's a wonderful thing."

#

It's after lunch time and later that same day when the group finish their second-to-last lesson for the day, one of the few classes that they all have together.

Their English lesson has just concluded and the roomful of students are scuffling with their books, notepads, stationary and binders; packing everything up as quickly as they can.

Archie has already left for music, blankly forgetting to say goodbye or that he was leaving to his friends. He'd remember partway through his last lesson, feel a little bad for his rudeness and then forget about it completely, but his friends know the drill. They're used to it, it happens quite a lot.

Veronica and Kevin are the next two to leave. They wave their two remaining friends goodbye from where the couple are still seated at their desk, before they both head for math, which always a delightful lesson to end their day on.

Betty, the diligent student, always has all of her notes, books and pieces of stationary out, and at-the-ready, for every lesson. Patiently, Jughead waits around for her to pack up. She always takes the longest in their class, but he's used to it.

To be quite honest, Jughead actually savours the few moments he spends watching and waiting for her. He loves observing how delicately Betty neatly places her pens and pencils into their case and how she gently presses down on the crease of her closed book to keep it straight and neat, all routinely.

"Okay! I'm ready" Betty announces with a huff, preparing to grab her schoolbag and rush to her next class.

She goes to stand up and join Jughead who'll walk her to her History class before racing off to his own Psychology lesson.

However, Betty's simple plans to get up and leave with her boyfriend are foiled as the blood quickly rushes to her head. As soon as she stands up, she comes straight back down again, falling to the floor.

Jughead's stomach instantly plummets as he helplessly watches on as his girlfriend collapses to the carpet. Immediately, he is down on the ground there beside her, trembling with fear as he frantically calls out for some help and for someone to call an ambulance.

While Betty blacks out from her fall at first, fortunately her unconsciousness doesn't last for very long. Almost immediately after fainting and collapsing, she slowly begins to wake up and come to, just feeling hazier and more confused than she had a few minutes earlier.

As her eyes flicker open, she immediately notes that she is being cradled in her boyfriend's arms, his concern for her etched deeply into his face.

"Betts... You just passed out. We're still at school. The school nurse is just arranging for someone to get us to hospital. Ironically, she thinks it'll be faster than calling an ambulance. Are you feeling okay?"

Betty nods feebly, which does nothing to help alleviate Jughead's concern. So, he just continues stroking her hair in an attempt to soothe both his girlfriend and himself, simultaneously.

"I'm okay... I just feel a bit woozy and light-headed. I'm _okay.._."

#

After arriving at the hospital, Jughead stays with Betty as they first wait in the waiting room for a room to become available. Then, they are moved to a small, poky little room that contains little more than a bed.

Just a minute or so after getting Betty set up in the room; the nurses take her bloods and scurry off, leaving the couple alone to continue waiting, once again.

The fact that there's no hurrying and no rushing her off anywhere urgently does a world of good for Jughead's nerves and worries about his girlfriend. However, the fact that people don't usually faint for _no reason_ is still bubbling away in the back of his mind.

Jughead and Betty have probably been waiting for about an hour and a half by the time that there's a knock on the door, interrupting the couple who are sitting on Betty's hospital bed together, laughing.

While they were waiting, Jughead had been giving a running commentary on each patient and each nurse who has walked past Betty's hospital room so far to keep her preoccupied and laughing. He'd been giving each person a very detailed back-story and delving into their life story, until the next person came along.

"Hi..." Betty greets, trying to control her giggles as she glances from Jughead back to her doctor who is standing idly in the doorway from where he has just knocked on her open door. Betty's doctor is a middle-aged man who looks the part, holding a binder, with a stethoscope snaked around his neck.

"Hi Miss Cooper, my name's Dr. Murray. Do you mind if I speak to you alone, for a moment?" the doctor says, looking pointedly to Jughead with his most polite smile that attempts to say: ' _please leave_ '.

Catching the doctor's drift, Jughead presses a quick kiss that is little more than a peck to his girlfriend's cheek, before launching himself off of her hospital bed with ease.

" _Okay_... I'm off to raid to the vending machine. I'll be back in a few minutes."

A part of Betty wants to grab a hold of her boyfriend's hand and stop him from leaving the room and stop him from leaving her alone. But, the other part of Betty that takes over is the part of her knows that she needs to face inevitable...

"The results of your blood tests have just come in. We ran a few different tests, just to cover all our bases. Now, your blood sugar levels are a little low, but that's nothing too serious. There was something else, though, that we picked up on. I thought you might like to hear it for yourself, before your boyfriend does..."

Betty nods without looking up as she run the linen of the hospital bed through her fingers gently.

Ignorance is bliss. ... _Until_ you can no longer ignore it.

"... Miss Cooper, did you know that you are pregnant?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom! Who saw that coming? That's going to make things just a little more complicated... Also, with her pregnancy confirmed, what will Betty do?
> 
> Don't forget to let me know your thoughts/theories/feedback on this chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
> 
> Next chapter: Betty finally reveals ONE of her secrets to Jughead! Which one is it and how will he react?


	6. The Awful Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty finally shares one of her secrets with Jughead... What does she tell him?

**CHAPTER SIX: The Awful Truth**

After Betty's fears were confirmed and after she was told that she was pregnant, Dr. Murray ensured that both she and the baby were fine and healthy. She was told that she would need to return early next week as they were too short-staffed to perform the full pregnancy check-up in the emergency department today.

As for Jughead, after he was encouraged to leave Betty's hospital room, he has _no idea_ about what was said to his girlfriend. All he knows is that when she exited from her hospital room that he was waiting outside of, all colour had drained from her face and she was as white as a sheet.

Within the hour Betty had been discharged and she didn't hesitate or hang around for a minute longer before leaving with Jughead to start the walk to their consecutive homes at the Cooper and Andrews residences.

Jughead had wanted to call someone to pick them up or get a taxi home. But, Betty was insistent on walking, saying that she needed the fresh air and her doctor had given it the all clear. Jughead didn't dare defy her decisions right now.

Their street was barely a fifteen minute from the hospital. However, as they walked hand-in-hand in silence, that fifteen minute walk could have easily been confused for an equally long and painful fifteen _hour_ walk.

As they walk together, Jughead looks to Betty beside him and then he looks away before his gaze returns to her, repeating the pattern over and over again...

Jughead _knows_ that whatever happened in there and whatever the doctor had told her after he left that room, he knows that she's not okay. **But** , he's waiting for _her_ to tell him that.

As he waits for her to say something, anything, Jughead is tormented by every thought and possibility that enters his mind.

He knew they had taken blood tests. Had something shown up? ...Something more serious than simply fainting after not having breakfast? What if it was bad? ... As in _really_ bad? Jughead can feel his stomach plummet from within him simply at thought of his girlfriend being that sick. He doesn't know if he's quite ready for hearing news like that.

Jughead takes a deep breath of cold, fresh air and his clammy palms clutch onto Betty's hands just a little tighter. It's as though if he holds on tight enough, that will be enough to protect her from whatever is quite clearly on her mind after seeing the doctor.

They take another few steps before Jughead's fear of the unknown gets the better of him. He can't take it any longer. Even if she's not ready to say anything yet, he just needs to do _something._ He needs to support her, rather than ignore the fact that there's quite clearly something wrong.

After their slow, steady steps and consistent rhythm since leaving the hospital, when Jughead suddenly comes to a grinding halt, it effectively stops them both in their tracks.

While they had been walking side-by-side up to this point, as Jughead stops them, he gently pulls them together. Instead of just touching shoulders and hands, they are now standing in front of each as he takes his girlfriend's other hand in his.

"Betty... You're scaring me. What's wrong? What did the doctor say? Are you okay?"

Okay. _Is she **okay**_?

Indeed, she's not technically sick, but, _okay_? Is she okay? After all, she's carrying her rapist's baby...

Instead of answering Jughead's question, Betty responds by taking the conversation down a very different route.

"Juggie... You and I... It's uh; it's not going to work from here on. We... We, uh, we need to break up."

Of all the answers that he had been expecting from Betty after he mustered up the courage to ask her what is wrong, that was about the only answer that Jughead _hadn't_ prepared himself for...

Usually, this would be the point where Jughead's self-preservation instincts kick in. This is usually the point when he starts backing away from people, complacently, despite how he really feels, as if he always knew that this moment would come, that he never expected they'd be in his life forever. He's had years of practice with both his parents in being ready and waiting for the fall.

However, this time is a little different. That same instinct _doesn't_ kick in with Betty. It's as if he knows that this time of any is the time that he needs to fight to stay in someone's life, when he is all too used to being walked out on.

"What...? Why?" Jughead asks at first, his face falling before he overrides her suggestion to break up with trying to persuade her with his conviction that it's not necessary, giving her hands that are still in his a little squeeze of reassurance. "Whatever it is, Betts, it's going to be okay. _We're_ going to be okay... We can get through it. I'm here for you."

Seeing the seriousness, the determination in her boyfriend's eyes is supposed to give her the support and the strength that she needs in this moment. However, it only breaks her heart that little bit more at the fact that she knows that they can't stay together.

"Juggie, you don't understand..." Betty begins to say before trailing off. She's too overcome with emotion to keep speaking. Her eyes are rapidly filling with broken-hearted tears that are threatening to spill.

Seeing her tear-filled eyes, Jughead just gives her hand another squeeze of reassurance, her upset hurting _him_ just as much as it is herself.

Betty can tell that he's about to say something else, some other comforting comment to try and change her mind. So, she knows that she has to quickly jump in and speak before he does, trying to get everything that she needs to tell him out in the open before she loses her nerve completely.

"I'm not sick, Jughead."

A surge of relief instantly floods through Jughead at hearing Betty's words. At first, it seems as though his worst nightmares have been slashed and eliminated with those four, simple words.

However, Jughead's relief is quickly replaced with confusion at _what_ could possibly have her in such a state and _what_ could possibly be a reason for them to break up if she's okay?

"Wait. Wha-"

"Juggie-" she begins, interrupting his latest question.

Before she continues to speak and before she continues to explain, Betty quickly swipes off a lone, fallen tear that is trailing down her cheeks. After wiping the tear away, her hands return to his. She's trying to prepare herself for the fact that her security blanket, his touch, will be ripped away from her very shortly.

With the resolve that Jughead needs to know the truth and he needs to know it now, Betty Cooper looks up to her boyfriend to finally tell him.

However, she can barely look him in the eye as she takes a deep breath to tell him the answer to the question that's been on his mind since they left the hospital; the fact that she can no longer ignore.

"I'm pregnant."

Out of pure shock, his hands let go of hers. Betty's hands drop straight back down to her side as quickly as it takes for Jughead's mouth to drop open in shock. Even worse than Jughead's first reaction of shock that had resulted in their hands being released from one another, is the reaction that follows it... The realisation of what Betty's just told him sinking in.

Two hearts break as Betty and Jughead look to each other, both of them knowing all too well that the baby that Betty Cooper is carrying is not _his_.

Her baby is not her boyfriend's. It's not the man that she loves'...

It's impossible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Juggie knows about her baby. Will she tell him about the non-consensual circumstances behind it or will she suffer in silence and push him away? Will he piece things together for himself? Will she go through with her pregnancy and keep her baby? Lots of questions to be answered...
> 
> Also, I'm sorry! Just in case the Riverdale hiatus isn't hard enough to deal with (there's no way I can wait until 2018!), I throw a Bughead break up in there, too. Hang in there guys. Don't worry, it's definitely a Bughead romance fic, there's just a few (literal, LOL) bumps in the road. And, if it's any consolation, Betty didn't break up with him because her feelings have changed, only her circumstances have and she doesn't feel like that's fair on him. Like I said, hang in there... ;)
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead struggles to process Betty's bombshell and their breakup while Betty too is struggling to acknowledge her pregnancy. Will she keep her baby?


	7. Not Quite Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of her break-up, Betty makes a big decision. Meanwhile, Jughead's suspicions continue to grow.

**CHAPTER SEVEN: Not Quite Right**

After Betty Cooper drops one of her bombshells, one of her biggest secrets, on her boyfriend before breaking up with him all within a matter of minutes, she gives him one final, pained glance.

"I'm so sorry..."

In the wake of her revelation, Betty doesn't linger around to explain or to answer the multitude of questions that are developing in Jughead's mind.

Instead, with her one last, croaked apology for something that she shouldn't have to apologise for, Betty continues her walk home on her own, feeling just as heartbroken as the boy that she's left standing there on the sidewalk, leaving him to digest her bombshell that just doesn't quite add up.

Really, the only things that Jughead Jones knows for _sure_ in that moment is that his girlfriend, or rather, _ex_ -girlfriend is pregnant and that he has not got a clue who the father of that baby is, seeing as it is not _him_...

He sees the way that her eyes quickly fill with tears before she has a chance to turn around and walk off, wrapping her arms around her own shoulders as she holds herself and cries her way home.

However, knowing that Betty is still upset and knowing that she has just been discharged from hospital for passing out, Jughead is flooded with a feeling of protectiveness.

While he feels like he could have stayed glued to that spot on the footpath for as long as it takes for things to start making sense again, Jughead forces himself to continue walking the same route that he has to take home as Betty does.

He's several metres behind her and she's just visible up ahead. But, he keeps an eye out, watching her for any noticeable shift in her gait or any sign that she may pass out again. It means only trailing behind her for a few minutes before he can see that she's walked up and into her own home, arriving safely, but it puts Jughead at ease knowing that she's okay.

Then, after making sure that Betty got to her house safely, Jughead continues on to Pop's, spending the rest of his afternoon and evening drowning his sorrows, thinking and processing over a milkshake and burger.

He feels like he should be angry... Like he should feel mad, or outraged at her.

But, he just can't bring himself to be maddened for a reason unknown to him.

In fact, he can't bring himself to feel anything other than confusion...

Confusion, since the only detail he knows for a certainty about Betty and her pregnancy is that the baby she is carrying is not _his_...

#

That night, Betty Cooper is sitting on her bed, tears in her eyes as she sobs her way through her writing her most recent diary entry that retells her life changing day...

It's the day that confirmed her suspicions and confirmed that she's pregnant and consequently, it's the day that she had to break up with her boyfriend, the love of her life...

After detailing just how hard it had been to dodge the topic during dinner with her parents, Betty concludes her diary entry with a final full-stop. Then, she tucks her diary away and hides it especially well, away from her mother's prying eyes until she has an opportunity to tell her parents.

She crawls under her covers a little, the quilt falling across her lap. She takes a long, deep breath to calm her nerves as she presses a cold hand under her grey pyjama top, laying her hand onto her stomach that feels just a little fuller than usual.

Then, with another deep breath, Betty prepares to finally acknowledge the fact that she's been trying to dodge for almost a month now, when her suspicions were first raised.

In the quietest of whispers, she speaks to her unborn child...

"Hi bubba... It's me."

She speaks to her unborn child that she knows she will carry for what is left of nine months.

She speaks to her unborn child that she knows she will keep and raise and love.

She speaks to her unborn child that she now lives to protect, despite how she or he was conceived.

"So... big day, hey?"

The little chuckle that follows Betty's words is anything _but_ humorous. Rather, it's a reflection of what a big day she _had_ had.

This morning, she had started the day off as someone _girlfriend_. Now, she is no longer someone's girlfriend, but it has been confirmed that she is set to be someone's _mother_.

Betty sighs, feeling her heart begin to pound within her as she contemplates that enormous, life-changing role that she is preparing to take on single-handedly.

"I'm so sorry that you're not going to have a father in your life, bubba. But, just know that there's going to be so many other really amazing people that will love you... Your Aunt Polly and Aunt Veronica, your Uncle Archie and Uncle Kevin and maybe, Jughead... if he ever forgives me."

Another sigh.

Betty quickly swipes the single, falling tear off of her cheek at the mention of the man she still loves.

"But, we can do this though... right? As long as you're willing to put up with me and all the mistakes I'm bound to make. I know it might not have been a part of my plan, but I promise you that I'm going to do my absolute best to make a life for us, bubba."

Betty is interrupted from whispering her secrets and promises to her unborn child when she feels a vibration coming from her phone from where it's rested beside her. She glances down to read the message, surprised at the sender.

 **Jughead**  
I hope you're okay x

Three small dots appear to indicate that there's more that Jughead wants to say, before another little message bubble appears on her screen, bringing a small smile to Betty's lips.

 **Jughead  
**... Both of you.

#

The day after she left school early due to fainting and being rushed to hospital, _even_ Alice had enough of a heart to allow Betty to have the day off school without needing a reason beyond her low blood sugar; _half_ the reason why Betty had passed out.

But, you see, the thing is that the day after someone passes out and the day after that fact has spread to the whole school, _everyone_ wants to know what happened and _why_.

Your friends care that everything's okay and that it's nothing serious, while Cheryl and the other popular kids are just looking for a story and a bit of drama to gossip about.

So, seeing as Betty is at home, sick for the day, everyone looking for details goes to the next best person, the boy that they deem as being the best source; her boyfriend and the person who had gone to the hospital with her.

After all the times he's been probed for details and information today, poor Jughead just about needs his own sick day...

As soon as Jughead joins his closest friends at their usual table for lunch, three sets of eyes bore into him intently, waiting for him to speak or say something. When he doesn't volunteer any information, Veronica is the first to push the matter, looking for information.

"How's Betty?!" Veronica asks with urgency, asking the question that each person at that table is dying to know the answer to. Betty hadn't exactly been up to replying to the deluge of caring messages from her friends last night.

"She's fine, nothing too serious."

Archie, Kevin and Veronica all give Jughead an equally unimpressed look at his lack of detail that he chooses to elaborate on, leaving them with very little.

However, he _deliberately_ volunteers as little as possible; knowing that if he gives too much ammunition and if he fuels their game of twenty questions, it will go far beyond what he wants his and Betty's friends to know.

Not only does he want to protect Betty's secret that she'd entrusted him with, but he also wants to avoid anything about _them_ being brought up, not keen on the idea of Veronica sussing out that they'd broken up. Not only does he not want their sympathy, but he's not especially keen to have to hash over the details of his fresh break-up. And, just by giving her even the smallest amount of information, Veronica would get to the bottom of it. She has a sixth sense for those sorts of things, he's sure of it.

"Well, did you find out what's wrong with her?! Why she passed out yesterday?!" Kevin asks, pressing for more information and detail.

Jughead just plays with his food that is laid out in front of him. He doesn't volunteer the fact that yes... _**Yes**_ , they most certainly know _why_ she passed out.

"Jughead!" Veronica snaps when he fails to reply at first.

"It was her blood sugar – too high or too low. I can't quite remember."

Veronica releases the most obvious breath of relief, but both Archie and Kevin share that feeling of being glad that it's nothing serious... Well, nothing _deadly_ , anyway.

"Oh good... I'm glad it's nothing serious. After the way Betty's been acting recently, I was starting to wonder if something was up with her, you know."

Jughead's interest is piqued after Veronica's comment, seeing as he knows more about Betty and her condition than the rest of the group does.

"What do you _mean_ about the way she's been recently?"

"I don't know... I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but there's just _something_..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Betty's keeping her baby. And, Juggie's not the only one getting suspicious... Betty's not going to be able to keep it up for much longer now, but when her friends and family do know, how they're going to react is going to be the next big question.
> 
> Don't forget to drop a comment and let me know what you thought and what you'd like to see!
> 
> Next chapter: With nothing making sense, Jughead works hard to get to the bottom of Betty's secrets, pushing to learn more about her pregnancy, why they broke up and who the father of her child is. Will he get to the bottom of it before she pushes him away?


	8. Pieces of the Puzzle

**CHAPTER EIGHT: Pieces of the Puzzle**

Before returning to the Andrews' residence after school that day, Jughead makes a detour via his next-door-neighbour's home.

As he approaches the girl sitting on the grass of her front yard, soaking up the sunshine, it's hard to believe that this time yesterday he was waiting at the hospital with the same girl, who had been his _girlfriend_ up until one day ago.

In the brief moment before Betty sees him, Jughead is treated to a moment of watching her peacefully, engrossed in her textbook. Her golden locks radiate in the sunshine as the light hits her face beautifully.

Jughead sighs to himself, convinced that he has both _found_ , and _lost_ , the most beautiful girl in the world...

"Hey you" Jughead says softly as he approaches Betty where she's sitting delicately on the lawn.

As her head darts up to locate the voice, a smile initially floods over her expression instinctually before her face falls a little, as if remembering that yesterday she had broken up with the boy who brought her so much happiness.

"Hi..." Betty says quietly -almost timidly- before looking down to her textbooks that are sprawled out across the lawn.

"Look. I know that we're not together anymore... But, I thought that you could use these" Jughead says as nonchalantly as he can, handing her the pages of his notes that he'd taken today, trying to act as though she wasn't the _only_ reason why he'd bothered with them.

A smile spreads across Betty's face as she looks over the notes that she knows are far neater and far more detailed than any of her ex-boyfriend's other class notes have been, ever.

"You took notes for me? In fact, you took _Betty_ -standard notes... Thank you, Juggie. I really appreciate it."

Looking over to her, there is a gentle softness and an evident appreciation etched into her expression. Just simply seeing her face, her reaction and her gratitude for his small gesture, Jughead struggles to keep the small smile from rippling across his own lips in reciprocation.

Then, after a few moments of silence, Jughead crouches down to her level on the grass, sitting a little way away from her with a few metres of distance between them on the lawn.

If he was to have approached her sitting on the lawn just two days ago, the result would have been very different. Instead of having a few metres of space and distance between them, the amount of space would have been as little as possible. What a difference one day can make...

"So... how are you feeling?" he asks with concern, both of them knowing that he is referring to her pregnancy that had resulted in her fainting at the end of their class yesterday.

"I'm okay... Being able to spend the day resting has helped. Come Monday, I'm sure I'll be perfectly fine."

Jughead nods, concern still evident on his face. "What about nausea? I hear that's a big one. Have you had any morning sickness?"

"A little..." she responds softly with a nod.

She saves him the gory details of just _how many_ days she's woken up with her bed in the toilet-bowl and just _how many_ mornings she has had to grimace her way through her waves of nausea, acting as though nothing is wrong in front of Jughead, their friends and her parents.

"Do you know how far along you are?"

Betty gives Jughead a little nod in response to his question, looking down to the lawn insecurely.

"I'm 14 weeks."

 _Hell_.

His girlfriend, sorry, **ex** -girlfriend has been pregnant for the last three and a half months and he's only just come up to speed on that small detail now...

However, as he does a few more quick calculations, Jughead quickly calculates that they weren't together for 14 weeks... Rather, they got together just over two and a half months ago, before breaking up yesterday.

... She was _already_ pregnant when they got together.

... She never cheated on him.

While it's doesn't change the state she's in, Jughead does feel a little peace at that realisation. It suddenly makes sense as to _why_ he couldn't bring himself to be angry or mad at her after he found out yesterday. Instead, shock and confusion had been the overriding emotions.

It suddenly makes sense that even though nothing made sense to him at the time and despite the fact that she had just broken up with him, he still trusted her enough to know deep down that she _hadn't_ cheated on him... That she wouldn't have.

"Hell, Betts... That's not that far off halfway... Did you know? Did you have any idea?"

He watches her intently as her eyes redden and slowly fill with moisture and tears. Eventually, she confides in Jughead by giving him a small nod.

"I tried ignoring all the symptoms and I tried my best to convince myself otherwise. But, on the inside, I _knew_... Even though it was only confirmed yesterday, deep down I already knew what the doctor was going to tell me."

Jughead's jaw drops a little out of shock.

All this time, _this_ has been going on inside of her. She's growing a baby. She **knew** she's growing a baby and she didn't say a single thing...

"Have you thought about what you're going to do with the baby?"

Betty takes a deep breath, continuing to look down to the lawn, picking up a small blade of grass as she twirls it between her thumb and index finger. She can't bear to look at Jughead as she answers his latest question.

"I don't really know if I even have any options or if I'd get any choice in whether I _want_ to continue the pregnancy or not, considering how far along I am. But, either way, I am having the baby... I'm keeping it."

Jughead feels winded, like all the breath has been sucked out of him as he simply nods in response to her answer. He struggles to compose himself and control his shock before he replies.

Then, suddenly, another detail clicks into place, making sense.

"Betty? Is that why you broke up with me yesterday? Are you planning to be with the baby's father?" as he asks the question that he's not really sure he's ready to hear the answer to, Jughead flinches, the thought of the girl that he loves creating a family with another man stinging him to the core.

However, Betty's strong headshake that follows Jughead's question is surprising.

Because he or Archie usually got roped into playing the paternal figure, Jughead knows **exactly** how many hours one of his childhood best friend's spent playing 'moms and dads', as a child. He knows **exactly** how many years she spent playing Barbies and dolls, all of them having their perfect little families... So, for Betty to abandon that idea so strongly with her own child is both surprising and perplexing...

"No, Jug. I broke up with you because _I_ am having a baby and _you_ are not. It's not fair on you."

He goes to open his mouth again to respond to her last comment, but she gets in first, her own words cutting his off.

"Now, can you please keep this to yourself for now? I know I'm going to have to start telling people very soon, but so far, you're the only one who knows."

Jughead's forehead creases a little as he frowns.

... _Only_ he and Betty know?

Jughead sighs. Betty's admission forces him to raise the question that he has been putting off the most.

"What about the _father_? Why doesn't he know? _**Who is**_ the father?"

"I can't..." Betty begins, before trailing off inconclusively.

... She _can't_ say? Or, she **won't** say?

Jughead is about to raise that very question to her before she speaks up once again, interrupting him before he has a chance to speak.

"It doesn't matter" Betty says as she shakes her head a little. "It's just _my_ baby."

His eyes squint a little out of confusion. He's just about to ask her further about _why_ it doesn't matter and _why_ the father is such a top secret. However, his plans change when he notices that she's visibly upset, tears welling up in her eyes.

Instead of upsetting her further, Jughead changes to 'yes' or 'no' questions, hoping it'll ease the pressure off of her a little.

"The baby's father... Do I know him?"

By the look that instantly flits over Betty's face, he can _tell_ it's a 'yes' in answer to his question. He knows the father of his ex's unborn baby.

"Do we go to school with him?"

Again, without her saying another word, Jughead can confidently determine that it's another 'yes'.

Jughead's stomach twists and turns abnormally and his heart breaks a little as a conclusion comes to Jughead's mind. It would both fit into the timeline and it would explain why she's not naming names.

"Betts... Is it Archie?" Jughead asks with a sigh. "... before he rejected you, did you two-"

After failing to utter a single word in response to his previous two questions, Betty is quick to shutdown his latest question and theory.

"No! No, it's not Archie's!"

"Whose kid is it then?!"

As soon as he utters his last question with a little more frustration than intended, he quickly grows to regret it, seeing the impact that it has on the girl sitting on the lawn.

She stands up from where she had been settled doing her homework on the lawn. Jughead notices how she begins panicking, her chest heaving up and down as her breathing fastens, her breaths becoming both shorter and shallower. Her hands clench tightly into fists, her nails undoubtedly digging in to her old scars, drawing more blood.

Seeing the effect that his question has had on Betty, Jughead feels terrible and he instantly tries to calm her down. He moves to stand by her side, brings his hands to touch her shoulders as he gently tries to rub her back and soothe her breathing, fearing for both her and her baby as she gets worked up.

Betty momentarily succumbs to Jughead's embrace, allowing herself to calm down within his arms for just a moment. She's drawn to him like a magnet until it's as if she remembers that she broke up with him; she can't lead him on or just use him when she needs him.

"No... No, I can't..."

 _Why is this so hard_?

Betty has spent her whole life suppressing her own feelings to make it easier on the people around her.

... Why is _this time_ any different?

... Why is this time just _that much_ harder?

Betty takes a step back, a step away from him, her breathing quickening once again as she reaches down to grab her textbooks before heading for her front door.

"Thank you for the notes, Jughead, but we're broken up" Betty barely manages to say between her shallow, hyperventilated breaths.

Then, without another word, Betty rushes off inside, shutting and locking the door behind her to crumble privately as she grieves not only her situation, but also the man that she loves.

After Betty leaves him in her front yard, Jughead tries knocking on her door, but it's no use. Every knock goes ignored.

After several minutes and after many, many knocks, Jughead finally gets the message and begins to walk off and walk away...

Suddenly, the final pieces of several, incomplete puzzles click and slot in together, everything suddenly making _perfect_ sense.

The father of Betty's baby is someone that Jughead knows. It's someone that they both go to school with...

Betty had been shaking and hyperventilating when he was pressing her to reveal the father of her child just minutes ago, before she left him on her front yard. It was _just_ like the state she was in after he walked in on Chuck pressuring her in the newsroom a few days ago...

It would explain the tension between them; the fact that Jughead felt like there was more to the tension in the room than _just_ the ramifications of Betty helping Ethel and Veronica seek revenge...

Every clue leads to one conclusion...

It all leads to Chuck Clayton.

... But, that's not all.

Jughead's stomach drops completely, he's convinced that he's going to lose his lunch, when _another_ piece of the puzzle fits.

It explains her refusal to name the identity of her child's father...

It explains how Betty mentioned the fact that _only_ she and Jughead know about her baby, that not even the father does...

It explains her willingness to bring down Chuck with and for Ethel and Veronica.

It explains why she outright denied that she's not planning to wanting to be with the father of her child, not even for the sake of being a family.

And explains her repeated 'No, Chuck's' when he comforted her after her panic attack in the newsroom.

As much as he hope's that he's _wrong_ , with absolute horror, Jughead realises that it all fits.

All the puzzle pieces of her story fit together...

Chuck Clayton may have fathered Betty's baby.

 _... But_ , Betty may not have had a choice in that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would love to know what you thought of this chapter! There are SO many big storylines still to come. 
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead confronts Betty with his suspicions when she tries to return to school... Will she finally give him the whole story? How will he react?


	9. Unconditional Love

**CHAPTER NINE: Unconditional Love**

After the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together and after Jughead started feeling like he is making sense of Betty's pregnancy, he spent all weekend knocking on her door, desperately hoping for Betty to open up and tell him that he is wrong; that'd he'd just jumped to the worst conclusion possible.

Over the weekend, Jughead had knocked on her door enough times to incite Hal come out to yell at him a couple of times, only made more that little bit _more_ terrifying when it was Alice who did the same thing.

In addition to his attempts at knocking on her front door, he also tried her window, he had tried messaging, he had tried getting Archie, Veronica and Kevin to message her and when none of his attempts worked, he stayed sitting on the porch of the Andrews' house, ready and waiting to catch her if she left her house.

However, Betty did not leave her house all weekend and little did Jughead know that she barely even left her room...

* * *

Come Monday morning, her first day back at school following her fainting spell, Betty was late.

She wasn't running late to class, but she was later than normal. She missed walking with the boy's next door who had waited for nearly twenty minutes to walk in with her as normal, until they had to leave, considering they weren't sure whether or not she was even planning to come to school today.

However, come their first class of the day, Betty Cooper finally makes her re-appearance to Jughead and all of their friends and classmates for the first time in days.

As she enters the classroom, Betty walks in as confidently as she can despite the fact that she _knows_ all the whispers are about her; everyone's rumours on _why_ she had to be whisked off to hospital last week circulating among her classmates.

When he spots this particular blonde girl walk in the door of their classroom, Jughead pricks up, attentively, from the slouch that he had been in.

The first lesson of their day on Monday morning is Health with Mr. Hunter, a compulsory subject for every student in their grade.

As she takes her assigned seat beside Jughead and before he has a chance to say a single word to her, Betty's plans to get through the class are foiled as she looks up at the whiteboard in the classroom, seeing three words sprawled out in capital letters on the board, no doubt ready and waiting for a class discussion and brainstorm of related words.

**CONSENSUAL/NON-CONSENSUAL SEX**

Looking to the girl beside him as her eyes meet the whiteboard, Jughead watches the immediate change in Betty as she tenses up, her eyes locked on the whiteboard in a momentary trance; like a deer caught in the headlights.

As soon as Betty snaps her attention away from those three words, the flight part of her fight-or-flight response kicks in and she stands straight back up again. Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she breathes short, shallow breaths, her hands clenching into tight fists within her own palms.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hunter. I just remembered that Principal Weatherbee asked to see me this morning" the model student says to her teacher who just nods in understanding.

Having watched the scene that has just unfolded beside him, Betty's reaction to this mornings topic of discussion is the confirmation of his suspicions that Jughead needed, but desperately hoped not to have.

As Betty darts out of the room just as quickly as she had arrived, Jughead doesn't bother with an excuse for his teacher as he just picks up his own satchel up and races out to follow her, rushing out just as quickly as she had.

Leaving their classroom, Jughead instantly spots Betty _**not**_ on the way to the Principal, but rather, standing alone in the empty hallway with one hand loosely slung around her abdomen and the other clapped over her mouth as tears flood her eyes. She stays silent and still until she spots Jughead and realises that the hallway is not so empty anymore...

"Leave me alone, Jughead" Betty cries as she moves away from the locker that she had been leaning against, quickly beginning to walk off and away from him.

Just as quickly as she walks away from him, does Jughead follow suit behind her.

The more that Betty tries to push him away, the more that Jughead realises just _how much_ she needs him...

"Betty. Wait! You can't keep pushing this, and you can't keep pushing _me_ , away... Come on, Betts. Talk to me."

She doesn't say a word.

Instead, Betty just stands there on the spot, overcome with tears. As he approaches her, she lets Jughead reach her and wrap his arms around her, holding her when she can barely keep herself upright and standing any longer.

"Betty?" Jughead whispers as he holds her in his arms, holding her closely and comfortingly. "Betty... Were you hurt?"

Once again, Betty doesn't say a word in response to Jughead. Instead, she just looks up to him with her tear-filled, heartbroken eyes that reveal just how crushed she _really_ is, despite her best attempts to keep herself together.

Jughead's heart sinks as he looks down to her, seeing the truth in her eyes. As much as he wished that he had got it all wrong, Jughead _knows_ that his suspicions are right.

"Did Chuck hurt you, Betty? Did he give you a choice? Did he make you do something that you didn't want to do?"

With no response from the blonde, Jughead's mouth goes dry as he tries to ask the final question, his voice a low, trembling whisper as he holds her closely, protectively.

"Betts... Did Chuck rape you?"

Once again, the look on his ex-girlfriend's face tells Jughead everything that he needs to know. As much as he wishes that he was wrong, he knows that he is _not_...

From where she had been looking up to Jughead, Betty is suddenly overcome with more uncontrollable sobs at the question, her head collapsing into his chest as he just holds her closer and tighter than before as she finally crumbles, breaking down.

Jughead can barely keep himself together to be strong enough for the both of them as his own heart breaks all over again, seeing just how broken Betty is all from one, selfish, disgusting act.

#

It took Jughead a good ten minutes to be able to console Betty to a calmer state.

Jughead knows that she had returned to school too soon. Not only is she not able to cope with the reality and pressure of school yet, but he also knows that she needs to take extra precautions for her baby, to avoid landing in hospital again.

So, he suggests that he and Betty leave school for the day and head to _Pop's_.

It marks the first time that Betty Cooper -the ever diligent student- has skipped class. But, really, Jughead knows that she is no state to try and get through the school day. He knows her well enough to know that she's not up to it.

Walking into the Diner, the two students stand out like a sore thumb. When Pop Tate makes a remark about how shouldn't they be at school, Betty is too caught up in her own thoughts to notice as Jughead simply waves a hand at the older man, signalling for the diner owner to drop it.

Jughead leads Betty over to a booth, arms still wrapped around each other. He settles her in before whispering that he's just going to go over and order. _Really_ it is to just give him a chance to talk to Pop Tate about his comment when they walked in, away from Betty.

"Can we grab two milkshakes, a serve of fries and two burgers" Jughead says in the most monotone voice to the owner of the establishment.

"You know that I don't condone wagging, Jughead. I can't imagine Mr and Mrs Cooper do, either..."

"Look, you know Betty. You know just as well as the rest of the town does that Betty wouldn't just wag school for no good reason... Trust me when I say that there _is_ a good reason."

Thinking Jughead's comment through for a moment, Pop Tate finally nods in acknowledgement at the point that the younger man is making, pushing the issue no further and just writing the order down. "Two milkshakes, two burgers and a side of fries coming up..."

When Jughead returns to the booth, he slides back in beside Betty who instantly melts back into his warm, comforting arms.

The two easily fall back into old habits in the distressful time, almost as though forgetting that they are meant to be broken up. He is **still** _her_ safe place at _their_ safe place...

"Are you ready to talk about it?" Jughead asks gently, watching her intently before tucking a strand of flyaway hair down from where it had begun to escape from her tight ponytail.

Betty sniffles a little, nodding in response to his question. He tightens his hold on her, giving her a squeeze of comfort as she takes a deep breath, followed by a sigh, preparing to relieve and retell the worst day of her life, verbally, for the very first time...

"So... It was the night of the dance, after Cheryl's party..."

Just uttering the first few words -the starting point- of her ordeal leaves Betty shaking, her heart pounding and feeling in need of another deep breath of air.

It takes some time but eventually she finds the strength to continue speaking in little more than a whisper. Jughead listens patiently and intently as Betty struggles to retell her horrific memories of the night that she had been attacked...

As much as he struggles to hear the details, Jughead has to keep reminding himself that he is only _hearing_ it. He can't possibly begin imagine the pain and trauma that the girl he loves would have had to experience in _living_ it.

She finds the strength to retell that night in gut-wrenching detail of every awful moment that she remembers all too well...

She finds the strength to tell Jughead everything about her attack, her pregnancy and just how closely the two tie into each other...

She finds the strength to tell him _everything_ , until there is nothing left but tears...

By the time she finishes speaking, Betty's tears are free-flowing and she struggles to juggle her tears with her breathing, while Jughead's own eyes are completely bloodshot, tears filling his eyes.

Not only is he crying _with_ her, he's crying _for_ her; for what she had to go through and how she has suffered silently since then...

"I'm so sorry, Betts. I'm so, so sorry..."

Even after she's finished telling him about her ordeal, the two of them stay huddled together, as close as they can possibly be to each other. Once again, it's almost as though both of them have forgotten that they are supposedly broken up. Even any stranger couldn't be blamed for mistaking the two for a couple...

Jughead feels completely sick to his stomach. The meals and the milkshakes had been brought over to them earlier, but haven't been touched for the first time ever.

His blood is _boiling_. He doesn't know how he's going to keep himself from not killing Chuck the next time he lays eyes on him...

"Why didn't you tell me, Betts?" This is the first question that Jughead asks since being told the _whole_ story of what exactly had happened and what Chuck did to her. "I would have been there for you..."

"I don't know... It was because of the timing when it happened, I guess. It happened when things with Archie were weird for both us of and it was before we started getting close again. I guess I didn't have anyone that I really felt close enough to confide in so I just chose to suffer in silence."

Suffer in silence. Jughead _hates_ that term.

He _hates_ the idea of Betty having had to suffer in silence during and then in the wake of what Chuck did to her.

He _hates_ that she **did** suffer in silence before opening up to him today and that she might have continued to if Jughead didn't catch on.

"I'm going to kill him. I'll do it... He has to pay for what he did to you."

Betty is quick to catch his hands in hers, growing more serious despite how she's feeling.

"Don't, Jughead. I'm serious... _Don't_ lay a hand on him. You have to promise me that, okay? I know it's not fair and I know that he shouldn't get away with what he did, but going after him _won't_ bring justice. You and I both know that Sheriff Keller has it in for you. He's out to find _anything_ that can be used against you. If you give in and if you go after him, it'll be far more damaging to you than him... There's no evidence that I _didn't_ consent. You'll just let Chuck win."

Jughead sighs. He knows that she's right and he knows that Betty has a point, but he still _hates_ it. He closes his eyes, scrunching his face up as he tries to control his rage at the injustice, at seemingly letting Chuck get off scot-free for now.

"I hate this, Betts... **I hate it**. Are you at least going to come forward about what Chuck did to you?"

Betty just shakes her head sadly.

"No... I _can't_. Admittedly, I was too afraid to speak up in the beginning... That's why I wanted to help Ethel and Veronica when _they_ had the guts to. But, Chuck has a record now. _That_ would be the only reason why I would say anything, to try and stop it from happening again. But, now he has a record and now people know what he's like. Me coming forward would do little more than that. He's a minor, he's too young to be convicted harshly."

Wanting to see justice for his ex-girlfriend, Jughead attempts to reason with her and convince her to speak up and say something, but he's too late. She jumps in with further reasoning for her own case before he has a chance to.

"But, that's not all, Juggie... Not only is it too late to prove that it _wasn't_ consensual, but I can't do that now that I'm pregnant. I've got my baby to think about now, too... I need to protect him or her. After all, it's not going to undo or change what happened to _me_ , but it would change _everything_ for my baby. No child deserves to know that they were made so awfully and no one should have to live with the weight of knowing that."

"So, even though it's Chuck's baby and despite the way it was made, you're still keeping the baby?"

Betty gives him a slow, silent nod, the smallest of smiles cracking on her lips. It's the first time that she has smiled today.

"Yeah, Jug... I want to keep it. I feel like it's an opportunity for something _wonderful_ to come from something so _awful_."

Jughead nods in acknowledgment as the small smile on Betty's lips fades to seriousness as she continues explaining.

"I know it's not ideal. I know that people are going to judge me and class me as a typical, slutty teen mom and I know it won't be easy. I always wanted to be a mom one day, but even more so, I wanted to be a _good_ mom..."

"You are going to be a good mom, Betts... _The best_."

Betty smiles briefly at Jughead's kind comment, but she continues speaking and she continues explaining.

"Now, no matter how this baby was made and no matter who their father is, it doesn't change one fact... **_I'm_ ** their mother. A good mother loves their child _unconditionally_... No matter how hard it gets, no matter how old they are, no matter what they look like, no matter what they're good or bad at. Unconditional love means that you don't pick and choose. After all, what kind of a mother would I be if I kept another child but not this one? I can't do that... I need to do this. I need to love _this_ baby unconditionally."

A mother's love.

It's such a simple saying. In fact, it's one that Jughead has heard many, many times in his life. But, before now, he'd never experienced that love in action - no, not even with his _own_ mother. He'd never felt the depth of love that a mother's love denotes.

But, listening Betty talk about the sacrifices to her own life that she knows she has to make, the sacrifices that she's _willing_ to make for the sake of her child and seeing her warmth, her care and her unconditional love for her child that was made under the worst circumstances changed Jughead's view. Seeing that, he _finally_ understands the depth behind a mother's love...

"You, Betty Cooper, are the strongest, most loving person I have ever met... And, more than that, you **are** going to be an amazing mother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another big chapter! Finally, Jughead knows EVERYTHING! Who will be next to learn of Betty's secret/s? Will Jughead keep to Betty's request to stay away from Chuck? Will Chuck learn that she's carrying his child? And, where to from here for Bughead?! Do they have a chance at a future together?
> 
> Also, can I just say an enormous thank you to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. I appreciate it SO much and you have no idea how inspired it makes me to write more and also update sooner, thanks to you guys. Don't forget to drop a review and let me know what you thought and what you'd like to see!
> 
> Next chapter: Betty has her first ultrasound. One of Betty's secrets spirals out of control. Then, Jughead steps up to protect Betty & the baby.


	10. First Instincts

**CHAPTER TEN: First Instincts**

Betty has her first proper prenatal appointment and check-up just a few days after Jughead pieced together the truth, resulting in Betty divulging the whole story to him, no longer able to hide the truth.

At this stage, so far Jughead is still the only person who knows Betty's secrets. However, she has been trying to find a way to mentally prepare herself to find a way to tell her parents of their grandchild.

As an expansion of knowing about the existence of her unborn child, Jughead also knew that she was having her first prenatal appointment today. He'd offered to take her and go with the nervous teenager to be there for moral support.

Although she was grateful for both offer the and for his support, Betty politely declined. After all, there are just some things that your ex just _shouldn't_ have to be subjected to hearing about both yourself and another man's child...

So, seeing as she had turned down the offer of the only person who knows that she _is_ pregnant, Betty had her first, proper appointment on her own.

* * *

As she waits impatiently, her leg bounces up and down on the ball of her foot nervously, thinking about all the different ways that things could go wrong during her appointment as she waits for it.

Given the way it was conceived, what if there is something wrong with the baby?

What if she's too young, what if her body is not mature enough to be a safe, nurturing place for her baby to spend nine months growing and developing?

What if her doctor was wrong during her brief consultation at the hospital after passing out at school? What if her baby _isn't_ okay?

Thankfully Betty's growing fears -as her hands clench into fists- are interrupted by her name being called out into the sterile, cold and near-empty corridor.

Betty quickly bounces up from her seat like a jack-in-the-box, powered on by nerves, rather than her depleting energy.

"Hi Elizabeth, my name's Mary. I'll be your nurse and sonographer for today. Now, there'll be two parts to your appointment. Firstly, I'll be conducting your ultrasound and you'll get to see your little bub. Then, your doctor will take over. He'll ask you some questions and translate the results of your tests and ultrasound for you. Now, before we get started, are we waiting for anyone? Will dad be coming today?"

In case her nervousness isn't enough, at the mention of her baby's father, Betty's stomach drops all over again and she feels dangerously close to needing to find the nearest bathroom, bucket or sink.

While the morning sickness will subside eventually, Betty knows that she's going to have to get ready for at least the next 18 years of dodging 'the dad' issue.

"No... It's just me. The father's not in the picture."

The nurse just nods politely. However, with the clarification, Betty notices the very small, slight change in the nurse's disposition; classing her as just another knocked-up, bed-hopping teenager. Betty takes a short breath of air, trying to hold her head up a little higher, her shoulders, straighter. She can't change the way other people see her and the way that other people choose to perceive her circumstances. _But_ , she can control whether or not she lets them get to her.

The nurse goes over some routine information, before getting a few more details from the mum-to-be. Betty was then directed onto the uncomfortable bed in the small room, lifting her favourite sweater up to expose enough of her stomach for the ultrasound.

"And this is your first ultrasound?" the sonographer asks conversationally, preparing the equipment before squirting the icy, cold gel onto the sensitive skin of her abdomen. Betty nods nervously, taking a small gasp of air at the unexpectedly chilling sensation.

The room falls to a silence and fears race through Betty's mind, _until_ she is interrupted with the best distraction possible.

"See this? We have the curve of its back, its head, two little legs..." the nurse says, pointing to a few different spots on the small screen.

Betty feels her breathe being swept away as she is left breathless at the sight before her as she studies all the tiny details of the tiny human that the nurse points out... All the details of _her_ tiny human.

" _That's_ my baby?" Betty asks obviously. At present, there's not too much thought going into her words and questions as her brain goes to jelly at the sight on the small screen.

The nurse just nods patiently. After almost fifteen years, she's used to the wide variety of reactions from overwhelmed expectant parents at the first ultrasound.

"Oh! Hi bubba. Hi..." Betty chokes, a few small tears trailing down her glowing face and radiant smile. She can't take her eyes off the screen.

"Developmentally, they're measuring in well for fourteen and a half weeks. If anything, the baby is on the slightly lower-end of the scale, but that's no cause for concern at this stage. Nice, strong heartbeat... Everything's looking good."

As the nurse zooms in on a few other things and takes a few other notes, Betty's absorbs every moment and every second of watching her unborn baby and all of its tiny little movements. She's sure that she can _feel_ her heart expanding, swelling with an indescribable sense of love.

"Now, the little one's healthy, but the doctor will have a few more tests results and will be able to tell you a little more about how _you_ are doing, too..."

#

After receiving good news and the all-clear on both her and her baby's health, Betty leaves her doctors office.

Walking out, her mind is completely absorbed with the relief of knowing that her baby is healthy. She's preoccupied with mentally reliving the moments of listening to her baby's heartbeat and watching her baby during the ultrasound.

So, walking down the corridor, Betty doesn't notice a familiar face further down the hallway...

She doesn't see Cheryl's sidekick, Ginger, who happens to see _her,_ watching as Betty leaves one of Riverdale's only two obstetricians, with her ultrasound photo and prenatal tablets in-hand.

Then, after the oblivious blonde walks straight past her, continuing through the hospital, Ginger pulls her phone out, finding a familiar contact in her favourites.

"Cheryl? It's Ginger. I think I have the answer to why Betty Cooper fainted last week..."

#

Betty had scheduled her appointment for early that day, before school started. Later on that same day and after getting to school, Betty spots Jughead unsurprisingly entering the school cafeteria, so she catches up to him, keeping step with him and following him in.

"Thank you so much for the notes, Jug. You have no idea how much they helped."

Jughead shrugs coyly, his hands extending further into his jacket pockets; it's his nervous tell.

"It was nothing. I needed the notes anyway, so I thought you might as well get some use from them, too."

Betty just smiles appreciatively. She _knows_ that he went to more effort than he typically would have with the notes that he handed on to her. But, she also knows that _he_ would never admit that.

"Hey, by the way, don't let me forget, but I have something for you. Well, sort of. I'll give it to you after school."

A little smile upturns the corner of Betty's lips. "You do? What is it?"

He just wiggles his eyebrows up and down, a little smirk forming on his lips. "You'll find out soon enough. It's nothing big, it's just something small."

Betty just nods, knowing that Jughead has far too much experience in keeping things close to his chest to divulge any more details than what he wants to give her to feed her curiosity.

"By the way, I saw the-" Betty pauses, looking around to their surrounds before continuing to speak in a low whisper. "-I saw my little... _project_ this morning."

Jughead chuckles lightly, finding humour in the first operative code-word that she had come up with on the spot, in case of other listening ears.

"Yeah...?"

He can see the smile in her eyes as her head nods up and down in response; her perfectly, neat ponytail bouncing around as a consequence.

However, before she has a chance to respond and before she has a chance to elaborate, as if out of nowhere Cheryl Blossom walks over and zeroes in on Betty and Jughead, her arms crossed and her head held high.

As the conniving red-head approaches them in the cafeteria, Cheryl reminds Jughead of a cowboy from a western waltzing into a saloon, guns at the ready, in the manner that she walks over to them.

"Well, well, well... Apparently good-girl Betty isn't as _good_ as she looks. Wagging class to go to _Pops_ really **is** just the tip of the iceberg..."

With the most pronounced smirk etched onto her face, Cheryl speaks loudly and at a much, much louder volume than if she really is _just_ talking to the two of them. But, no, she speaks loud and clear, deliberately projecting her voice to ensure that Jughead and Betty _aren't_ the only two people listening, and, it works...

Eventually, there's a whole crowd forming in the cafeteria, their fellow students hushing their own conversations, standing still and listening in to hear about how apparently Betty Cooper isn't as 'good' as her reputation that precedes her.

"Get lost, Cheryl" Jughead interjects.

The protest from Betty's ex-boyfriend only brings a smile to Cheryl's plump, liquid-lipstick smothered lips, spurring her on.

"You really **are** turning into Polly, aren't you? Talk about history repeating itself, much? How is _your_ baby, Betty? I must say that even _I_ didn't see that one coming... Who would have thought that the Cooper girls are a matching set of teen-mom Barbies?"

With her secret out in the open, being publicly announced and broadcast to half the school that has gathered in the cafeteria, she instantly begins to panic.

Betty struggles with getting sufficient air through her short, hyperventilated breaths. Her heart pounds and her eyes dart wildly, looking around the room to see who else has heard the public announcement of one of her biggest secrets.

Looking among the familiar faces in the crowd, Betty sees Veronica's pure shock, Archie's scrunched-up, furrowed eyebrows, Kevin's disbelieving eyes and then she locks eyes with one other person in that room...

Chuck.

Betty feels like she could be sick when she notices the African-American teenager, the father of her unborn child, further in the cafeteria. Chuck's eyes are squinted, his eyebrows serious, seeing as his attention has most _definitely_ been caught by Cheryl's unauthorized announcement on Betty's behalf.

Looking to Betty standing beside him and following her line of sight, Jughead notices the exchange between the two people on either side of the cafeteria, noting how Betty trembles more with every passing second that the eye-lock lasts.

Spotting Chuck, Jughead is thankful that the scum of the earth is on the other side of the room, keeping them well apart and stopping him from throwing just as many punches that he knows Chuck deserves at him, in front of half the school.

Instead, Jughead uses that anger and rage and he protectively springs to action for his ex-girlfriend. He snakes a supportive arm around Betty's trembling waist.

 _Most_ of their fellow students would have assumed that Betty is pregnant with the couple's baby, no one knowing that they had broken up in the last few days...

 _Most_ of the people in that room would have simply just _assumed_ that it is Jughead's baby as much as it is Betty's...

However, with his arm holding Betty close to him, Jughead looks through the crowd of people, looking straight at the **one** person in that crowd who might _not_ have made that same assumption as everyone else.

Then, Jughead speaks up; making sure his own announcement is heard...

"Our baby, Cheryl... It's _our_ baby."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, so Betty's secret's out. Well half of it, anyway. How will their friends and classmates react? Did Juggie do the right thing by stepping up to protect Betty and the baby from Chuck by claiming to be the father in the heat of the moment? Do Betty and Jughead continue to go along with it? Will it make things better or will it only make it worse? And, will Chuck see through it and grow suspicious?
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story, following along with this journey. It means the world to me! Thank you! I'd love to see what you thought of this one, too.
> 
> Next chapter: Archie and Veronica want answers and Betty struggles as people react to her news.


	11. Some Explaining To Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So... Betty's pregnant. Start explaining."

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: Some Explaining To Do**

After Jughead takes responsibility for Betty's pregnancy in front of their teachers and fellow students, there are only two people in that room who seem surprised. One of those people has Jughead's wrapped around her, while the other one quickly slinks out of the room after the announcement.

Meanwhile, feeding off of Jughead's admission, Cheryl's smirk just intensifies in satisfaction.

"Well, well, well... It looks like Betty and Jughead have been working on making **more** than just the newspaper. After all, it seems that they've taken it upon themselves to _make_ the news, too. Slow news day, was it?" Jughead simply rolls his eyes at Cheryl's clever quip that she is proud-as-punch of.

Meanwhile, Betty just looks to Jughead in shock. Nothing has really registered after Jughead announced that it's _his_ baby, when they both know otherwise.

"... At least we know that this year's behind-the-scenes feature of the _Blue & Gold_ is most certainly going to be a lot juicier than normal... I, for one, cannot wait!" With her final comment and her undying smirk, Cheryl turns hot on her heel and struts off again, her mission to cause a stir and a bit of lunchtime drama _accomplished_.

As the spotlight dies down and turns away from them, Betty and Jughead turn to each other. The two are still touching from when he had wrapped his arm around her. Now that they have a moment, they prepare to both face the ramifications of and digest the fast-paced onslaught of what had happened over the previous minutes. It all seemed to have happened in the blink of an eye.

"Jug-" Betty begins, trailing off as her attention is caught when her three shell-shocked friends approach them, moving closer through the crowd that is dying down.

"B... Is it true?"

As she feels the sudden surge of an all-too-familiar sensation, Betty tears herself away from Jughead's touch and races out of the cafeteria and through the hallways, only mildly aware of the fact that two people are following her.

Weaving through the maze of students, Betty races into the girl's bathroom and Veronica follows behind her quickly, before stopping in her tracks, noting that Jughead -who had d been by her side before this point- has come to a grinding halt at the roadblock.

"Don't worry, I'll look after her" Veronica quickly says to address the evident concern on the face of the man who she assumes is both her best friend's boyfriend and the father of their child.

Separated by a few mere doors and walls, it kills Jughead being so close to, yet so far from Betty. However, Jughead's fears and concerns are quickly interrupted as someone joins him, leaning beside him on the wall of the school hallway, just outside the bathrooms.

"So... Betty's pregnant. Start explaining."

Looking to the red-head beside him, Jughead just exhales a sigh as the trap that he's just set for himself and for his ex suddenly becomes clearer and clearer...

#

It had been a whole week since Betty had experienced any sign of morning sickness. But, Cheryl's public announcement in front of half of the school had undoubtedly set her nauseous feeling off again, the effects of her weak stomach rearing its ugly head once again.

As Betty's empties the contents of her stomach, Veronica rubs her friends back supportively. Betty's usual tight ponytail doing a good enough job at keeping her hair out of her face.

After a few minutes, Betty's nausea begins to subside and her stomach finally feels settled enough for her to pull away from the toilet bowl with a groan.

Just minutes earlier when she was left reeling from Cheryl's unauthorised announcement on her friend's behalf, Veronica had asked Betty if the rumour was true. Now, seeing the state Betty's in, Veronica has not a smidgen of doubt.

"Oh B.." Veronica sighs, pulling her best friend into a hug. She's not only sympathizing for Betty's nauseous state, but also the enormity of her situation that she's confronting. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It was only confirmed last week, after I fainted in class. I've been struggling to come terms with it myself since then, so adding anybody else to the mix has just felt too hard." Leaning against the cubicle wall, Betty lets her head fall back and her moist eyes shut with an exhausted sigh.

"I didn't even know that you and Jughead were..." Veronica begins to allude before trailing off in disbelief.

Betty just shrugs at the comment. She _knows_ what her friend is alluding to. However, Veronica doesn't know that they're sleeping together because they're **not**. They _haven't_...

"How far are you? Veronica asks as she wraps an arm around the shoulders of her friend who quite clearly needs the support.

The raven-haired girl speaks in little more than a whisper. It's as though if she speaks quietly enough, there's a chance it might all go away, depending on Betty's answer.

"I'm fifteen weeks... Nearly four months" Betty confesses with a sigh.

Veronica's jaw drops instantly.

"Four months, B? _Four months_?! You've been pregnant for basically the entire time that I've known you... Do you know what you're going to do?"

Betty sighs once again, fighting the urge to brush her hand against her swelling abdomen that is starting to become a bit of a habit.

"I'm keeping the baby."

Veronica mouth stays open, but her ongoing shock is evident in her eyes, trying to process the fact that her best friend will be a mom in high school.

"How are you feeling?" Veronica asks with concern, figuring that if _she_ can barely get over the idea, she has no clue as to how Betty must be feeling about it.

At the question, fresh tears fill Betty's orbs as she tries to swipe them away -without a trace- as quickly as possible.

"Honestly, I'm terrified... I'm so young, V, and someone's entire life will be in my hands. That's hard enough for parents at the best of times. That's hard enough for _adults_ who have jobs, and savings, and life experience. _I'm_ going to be raising a human being, when _I_ haven't even finished growing up..."

"B, No one would expect you to raise the baby simply because you're pregnant... Have you looked at any other options?" Veronica asks the question gently. She does not want to overstep but seeing her friend's distress at her situation, she wants to ensure that she doesn't feel backed into a corner with no way out.

Betty just shakes her head a little as she sniffles. The lump in her throat pulsates from trying to hold back a deluge of tears.

"No... There's no way I _would_ terminate, even if I could. And, as hard as I know that it's going to be, I want my baby... I can't give him or her up."

As she utters the last few words, Betty feels a shiver of protectiveness for her unborn child; it's the feeling that tells her that she's doing the right thing. As hard and as scary as that might be, it's still _right_.

Veronica nods wordlessly. She had wanted to make sure that her friend didn't feel forced into going through with her pregnancy and with motherhood, but she isn't going to hammer the point.

"So, what about Jughead? How does he feel about being a daddy?"

Until Jughead had interrupted and intervened in front of the school, Betty had been trying to prepare herself for the inevitable 'who's the daddy' theories and rumours. However, what she _hadn't_ prepared herself for is being asked how Jughead was coping with fatherhood, seeing as he actually is _not_.

While Betty doesn't want to mislead her best friend, she also doesn't want the questions that would follow Veronica being told that Jughead's not in fact going to **be** a father. So, she just goes along with it... For now.

"Um... He's just supported me so far" – not a lie.

"Good" Veronica replies succinctly. Any other answer would have been unacceptable and seeing as he was hinging between a clear pass or fail, Jughead has passed in the eyes of Betty's protective friend.

The two girls sit in silence as one holds her upset friend in her arms. Comfortingly, Veronica strokes a hand over Betty's slicked back hair, where it is all tied back into a tight ponytail.

"Oh, I warn you that I'm going to have to stop myself from spoiling that baby rotten B. Apologise to Polly for me, but I've _so_ got dibs on being the favourite aunt..."

#

After joining Jughead to stand against the wall, Archie has sent one of his best friend's many dirty looks in his direction, on account of believing that he has impregnated his other best friend.

"A baby ruins everything, Jug. College, a good career, living your lives as normal teenagers, all of your chances, all of _Betty's_ chances... Gone – just like that."

Jughead looks over to Archie, unimpressed, but he doesn't say a word.

"Is she keeping it?"

Jughead gives his friend a once-over. It's a tough situation between juggling not giving away too much detail that is entirely just Betty's right to distribute and balancing that with giving Archie _enough_ information. After all, failing to do so will only intensify his animosity further.

"I can't say."

Archie gives his friend an unimpressed look.

"Well, why not? Haven't you two talked about it?"

Jughead just stays silent. He's not quite sure how to answer that question without giving up the charade, giving away or disclosing details that Betty may not want divulged just yet, while still answering him honestly. Not to mention, he's not sure of how to juggle it all _without_ raising the red-heads suspicions.

"It's private information, Arch. I need to talk to Betty before I start saying stuff to everyone."

" _Everyone_...? I'm 'everyone' now?"

Jughead sighs as Archie's eyebrows furrow unhappily, getting more and more worked up with every word that Jughead speaks.

"No. Look, I'm sure you'll be one of the first to know when she is _actually_ ready to start saying things. But, in case you didn't realise, Betty _wasn't_ the one who announced she's pregnant to the whole, damn school."

"How far is she?"

The answer to Archie's question is a detail, a simple fact that won't change. It's a fact that Jughead doesn't think that Betty would crucify him for sharing.

However, the matter is complicated by the fact that it's _Archie_ who is asking... If he is on the ball and if he starts thinking back to fifteen weeks ago, he'd reach the time of the dance that he went to with Betty and Veronica. The dance where he rejected Betty afterwards. The dance that happened well _before_ Betty and Jughead's relationship was even in the early days.

"That's not for you to know."

"My two best friends are having a kid. I would have _thought_ that that would put me on a need-to-know basis, but apparently not..."

Archie is quick to take offense while Jughead sighs at his friend's irritation. He feels lodged between a rock and a hard place.

"Look, let's just wait until later and wait until Betty's with us. If she wants to tell you, then she can."

"Don't do that! Don't leave everything for Betty to deal with. It's your kid too, Jug! You said it right there to the whole damn school" Archie says, his arm gesturing back towards the cafeteria for emphasis. "...Man up, bro. Half of that responsibility is on you, too. Don't just leave it all on Betty."

After he gets his aggression out of the way, Jughead can see that Archie's has the right motive. In fact, it's the _same_ motive as him; to protect Betty.

While his intentions are _good_ , obviously Archie isn't to know that Jughead announcing himself as Betty's baby-daddy was a cover up and a move to protect Betty, too. Obviously Archie doesn't realise that the further he probes and interrogates Jughead, the more that he is unintentionally piercing holes in the cover-up.

Jughead sighs and he is just about to reply to Archie's last comment when he is saved by the bell as the girls bathroom door opens, revealing Veronica and a sickly-looking Betty whose pale skin is tinged with a nasty shade of green.

"Are you okay?" Jughead asks Betty, both he and Archie instantly moving to be by her side out of concern.

As Jughead instinctively touches her shoulders he tells himself that he's just keeping up the charade in front of their friends who don't know that her baby's paternity is a lie, nor do they know that they are broken up.

With mumbled speech, Betty fails to give a comprehensible response as she tries to say something unconvincing like: " _I'm fine_..." which just kicks Jughead into action.

"No offence but **no** , you're quite visibly _not_ okay. You don't have to pretend that you are in front of us, Betts."

As Archie shifts closer to Veronica, Jughead seizes the moment of opportunity to have a little more privacy with Betty. He continues leading her a little further from the bathroom door, gaining a little distance from the other couple to be able to whisper a little more privately, leaning closer towards her ear.

"Are you really alright? What did you tell Veronica? How much did you tell her? Look, I've got free periods for the rest of the day and I'm fairly sure that the given the circumstances, you'll be able to get permission to go home sick pretty easily. Let me take you home, let's get you away from here."

Betty doesn't fight it. She just nods a little, enough for him to know that it's what she wants and to set the wheels in motion.

Honestly, in that moment, she's not sure if she could have even been physically _able_ to defy Jughead's suggestion.

She feels exhausted, nauseous, humiliated and completely overwhelmed.

Home is _exactly_ what Betty Cooper needs. And, Jughead Jones knows her well enough to know that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read & commented on the last chapter. As always, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.
> 
> Now, a quick question, but would you guys be interested in Betty finding out the sex of her baby? I know what she'll have but I'm just curious as to whether you want to find out when she has it or before that.
> 
> Next chapter: Betty and Jughead finally have a chance to talk about where they go from here in the wake of him claiming to be her baby-daddy.


	12. The Choices We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Thank you, Jughead... What did I do to deserve this? To deserve you?" Betty whispers, the tears pricking her eyes threatening to fall. "You've only ever been there for me and I've only ever tried to push you away."
> 
> .... "You, Elizabeth Cooper, have spent your entire life putting other people first. It's just time that someone else put you first, too."

**CHAPTER TWELVE: The Choices We Make**

After succumbing to Cheryl-Blossom-induced nausea after the red-head publicly announced her pregnancy to the school, Betty left school early that day with a sick pass, She didn't feel up to facing her teachers and fellow students seeing as _her_ name is the one that is on everyone's lips.

For the remainder of the day, Jughead has free periods, so he volunteered to take Betty home from school to rest. Her parents wouldn't be home for another few hours so he offered to hang around, look after her and keep her company until they get arrive home.

While Betty changed into something more a little more comfortable but no less polished, Jughead made them hot chocolates downstairs. By the time he enters her room, carrying two cups, she's already settled in and resting on her bed, head slumped back on her bed-head.

"Now, are you comfortable and relaxed, Miss Cooper?"

After he hands her the hot mug, she gestures for him to take a seat at the end of her bed.

"I am... I'm feeling very comfy, very cosy and very spoilt. Thanks, Juggie. I have no idea what I did to deserve all this from you..."

"Well, there's nothing quite like breaking up with a guy to make him _really_ want to spoil you..." Jughead's comment is typically sardonic, but a small smirk plays on his lips to ensure that she knows that he doesn't _really_ mean his words.

While he briefly takes a seat on the end of her bed, he is quick to rebound right back up again, heading for his satchel that's resting by the door-frame of Betty's bedroom.

"That reminds me. I forgot to give you this. It's nothing big; it's not even really for _you_ , but..."

As he trails off, he retrieves the item he's looking for before returning to her bedside and handing Betty the small, roughly wrapped parcel.

"What is it?" she asks, a little smile forming as she examines the soft, small, wrapped present.

He just shrugs -not volunteering any information- as she delicately undoes the pearlescent tissue paper, letting out a small gasp as she lays eyes on its contents.

The present is a tiny little, yellow, gender-neutral onesie, with the words _'I Got It From My Mama'_ imprinted on the center in flourished white lettering.

Tears prick in Betty's eyes as she looks up from the present, to the man that is sitting on the end of her bed and then back down again.

She is just as appreciative for her ex-boyfriend's kind gesture as she is for his thoughtfulness towards her unborn baby. She understands that it can't be easy for him knowing that his ex is having someone else's baby.

"Aw, Juggie... _Thank you_ " she says gratefully, opening her arms out to him.

Once again he shifts from his perch on the end of her bed to meet her open arms as they wrap each other in a hug that lasts far longer than your typical 'thank you' hug.

"I love it. Did you know that this is the baby's very first present... I'll have to keep it as a keepsake to show him or her when they're older."

"It's no big deal... People give baby presents, right? Besides, I just saw it and thought of you two" Jughead says in an underwhelming manner, as if he _didn't_ awkwardly search three different baby shops to find the perfect present.

Betty just gives him a silent, appreciative smile to let him know that she knows that _he's_ deliberately down-playing the gesture, but that _she's_ not.

Looking back down to the little onesie in her lap, her breath hitches as a sudden, scary realisation comes upon her. With both hands, she holds the little outfit up in the air in front of her.

"It is _terrifying_ to think that I'm going to have to keep something this tiny alive..."

He notices her breathing beginning to accelerate into faster, shallower breaths as she struggles to breathe. The overwhelming sensation of her fears begins to take control over her.

To try and calm her down, Jughead reaches out and takes a hold of her hands, comfortingly.

At his touch, she looks into his eyes where he can see her raw fear; he can just see how terrified she is.

"I'm so scared Juggie... I want my baby, but I'm just so scared."

Getting up from where he had been perched on the end of her bed, Jughead gets up and moves that little bit closer, his hands not letting go of hers.

He sits beside her and where she's sitting upright in bed. As he wraps an arm around her to comfort her, Betty's head falls into his chest, resting against him. Old habits really do die hard for the former couple...

After a few minutes of Jughead holding her and comforting her, Betty swipes away a tear that she didn't realise had fallen, before changing the course of the conversation.

" _So_... Are we going to talk about what happened at school?"

Jughead looks down a little, nervously. He knew that it would have to be brought up eventually.

"I'm sorry that everyone had to find out that way. What Cheryl did was not fair on you at all."

" _Thank you_ for taking the heat off me in there. I really appreciate it" she says, giving him an earnest, grateful smile.

Earlier in the cafeteria that same day, Jughead had stepped up and stepped in when Betty was frozen to the spot, unable to speak or act as one of her biggest secrets came out to her friends, her teachers, her classmates **and** the father of her child.

"I saw the look on Chuck's face... I could see that he was starting to draw conclusions. I panicked for you and initially my mouth moved faster than my mind did back there. But, I've been thinking about it since and, well, I want to support you... With the baby, I mean, _if you want_..."

"What?!"

For the second time today, Betty looks at Jughead in complete shock, freezing from where she's resting on her bed, him right by her side.

The first time, Betty was frozen stiff, shell-shocked over the fact that Jughead had announced that he was the father of her child to take the heat off of Betty when the actual, undeserving, father of her child was in the room. Now, for the second time today, she freezes up once again now that he's declaring that he **means** the words that he said the first time.

"Look, if there is any one person in the world that is capable of being a single, teenage parent to a child, while still being the _best_ parent that there is, it's you. I **know** that you are going to be able to do this on your own. I have no doubt about it. But, if you'll let me, I'd like to support you and the baby... After all, everyone already _thinks_ that I'm the father, apart from the one person who knows enough to work out that we're lying. But, even then, there would be only _three_ people who would know the truth and I can't imagine that Chuck would willingly shoot himself in the foot. So, if you want to, let's just let everyone else continue believing that I'm the dad..."

Betty begins to tear up. She's not quite sure whether it's her hormones, Jughead's words or his generous offer that have been the trigger.

"No Juggie... You need to take it back. You need to deny that you're the father, because you're _not_. We're not your responsibility... Look, I was unfortunate enough for this to be loaded onto me, but it happened. _You,_ on the other hand, have a choice."

"You're right... I _do_ have a choice. But, you _didn't_. What Chuck did to you and the fact you fell pregnant as a result of that was not your choice, nor is it your fault, Betts. You and your baby shouldn't have to continue to suffer because of that. You deserve someone to be there and support you. And, your baby deserves a father, just as much as anyone does... So, I'm willing to be that father-figure for him or her."

Jughead pauses from what he's saying to take a deep breath and stroke her arm from where she is resting against his chest. But, he's quick to continue speaking, before she has another chance to interrupt him.

"... Now, I know the baby's never going to look like me or inherit my traits, but I think we both know that there's more to being a father than sharing a bloodline or having the same nose. _Becoming_ a parent is the easy part -anyone can do that-, but it's _being_ one that is hard. I know that it's going to be a harder title for me to earn, but I want to be the father to your child. Like you said before, I **do** have a choice and I _choose_ to be there for you, both of you. _If_ you'll let me..."

The room falls to a silence and Betty snuggles a little deeper into Jughead's chest as she seriously considers and thinks through what he's just told her, considering his generous offer. Then, after a few minutes pass, Betty finally speaks up in a small, uncertain whisper.

"Are you sure? Are you sure that you really want to do this and go along with the charade? Because, if you're even the _slightest_ bit uncertain of whether or not you can go through with it, I'd rather know that now. I'd rather not have that at all, than have your support and lose it later on."

"Yes, Betty. I know the feeling of having a family and losing it. I wouldn't even wish that feeling on my worst enemy, not even on _Chuck.._. Actually, that's debatable. The point is that I wouldn't subject _anyone_ to that pain. All I've wanted, all I've ever wanted is a family. I don't care if this baby isn't my flesh and blood, after all my own hasn't turned out to be that great. Yet, I've found out that I'm capable of loving certain people with all my heart..." Jughead explains, giving Betty a knowing smile.

Betty exhales a deep breath of air, trying to come to terms with just how much her life has changed since she got out of bed this morning...

"Okay... So you're really willing to do this? You _really_ want to keep up the charade and pretend to be the baby's dad?"

Shifting himself a little to free up one of his hands, Jughead reaches up to his head to slowly pluck off his security blanket, scrunching his beanie up in his hands as he looks Betty straight in the eyes, unflinchingly.

"I do, Betty... _I promise_."

She looks up at him, studying him intently before there's an unspoken finality in the mutual decision that is made. Then, with their resolve to raise her child together as their own, Betty and Jughead's arms fall back around each other in an embrace.

Holding each other, the silence lasts for a few minutes before Betty raises another point that is on her mind.

"You know, the truth is going to come out eventually, Juggie. You and Chuck aren't exactly identical. People are going to know something's up when we, fair-and-fairer, leave the hospital with a half-African-American baby and don't question it."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Betts. One day at a time."

She nods silently before Jughead follows her lead and brings up an issue of his own that had been playing on his mind.

"Betts, there is one other thing... Now, although everyone else still thinks that we're a couple, I am definitely still on-board to raise this baby with you as _just_ friends. But, there is something that I do want to know... You broke up with me to protect me from your secrets, didn't you?"

Guilt-ridden, Betty just fumbles with her quilt cover, her eyes looking down shamefully as she nods in response to his question. "I'm sorry... I didn't want to, but you didn't deserve to just be lumped with my problems and you shouldn't have had to be the bad guy by breaking up with me."

"Well, now that _I_ know everything and now that _you_ know that your secrets haven't changed anything for me, do you think there's any chance that we could reconsider that breakup?"

While she had been looking down to her bed, Betty's eyes suddenly fly up to meet Jughead's with hope. They look to each other and read each other's thoughts without uttering a single word before Betty's springs to action and answers Jughead's question. From where they're sitting together on her bed, she reaches up, her lips meeting his for the first time in way-too-long after the hiatus that neither of them really wanted.

The kiss is warm, it's familiar and it's deep. It holds so much more importance and meaning after the changes in their lives since they broke up and since they've learnt to make the most of every single, little kiss.

When they eventually break apart, the kiss results in two smiling faces, until Jughead's turns to a smirk.

"So... That's a _no_? No chance of reconsidering, right? That's a shame, cause I was kinda hoping that things would work out" Jughead teases, since she'd let her lips do the talking, but not in the conventional way.

Betty rolls her eyes at his joke; forever the pessimist, or realist, as he'd argue.

"Well that's not the answer that I was getting from that kiss, but hey, each to their own..."

Jughead chuckles, playing along with the joke, this time being the first to initiate another kiss between them. Their lip-locks only confirm the fact that they are definitely, unarguably, back together.

After the back-and-forth kissing game draws to an end for the newly-reconciled couple, Betty looks to her boyfriend happily. After her day had taken such an awful turn earlier, her day has quickly turned itself around and now she's floating on cloud-nine.

"I love you..."

This is not the first time that Jughead has expressed his love for Betty. But, the same three words feel so much deeper and carry so much more meaning this time...

He loves her _despite_ , and in spite of, the fact that she's carrying another man's baby. Not only does he still love _her_ , but he's willing to love **both** of them. It only makes her love him so much more than she already does.

"I love you too."

As she settles contentedly into his chest, Betty releases a small, happy sigh. Her emotions are completely overwhelmed with the hope and the happiness that she had not known when she got out of bed this morning. In fact, moisture pricks her eyes as she fights back happy-tears for the first time in far too long.

"Thank you, Jughead... What did I do to deserve this? To deserve _you_?" Betty whispers, the tears pricking her eyes threatening to fall. "You've only ever been there for me and I've only ever tried to push you away."

The pain of her regrets finally brings the tears to her eyes, choking up a little as Jughead holds her a little closer and a little tighter to comfort her, slowly brushing a hand down the side of her face.

" _You_ , Elizabeth Cooper, have spent your entire life putting other people first. And, now you're preparing to do that with the rest of your life for your baby. It's just time that someone else put _you_ first, too."

She reaches up and presses one short, sweet and completely appreciative kiss to Jughead's lips before her own lips relocate themselves, pressing a single kiss to his pasty cheek too.

Jughead can't fight the smile that forms on his lips at her expression of gratitude before she settles into him.

He holds her, stroking up and down her back to relax her as she snuggles deeper and deeper into him. She feels like she could just about fall asleep in his warm, protective arms.

However, their moment comes to a grinding halt as Betty makes a sudden realisation, bolting upright and out of his arms.

"Oh no..." Betty exclaims, her breathing growing faster as she starts to panic, not for the first time today.

"What? What's wrong?" Jughead checks, pressing a hand to her shoulder to try and calm her. He tries stopping her panic which he knows is just as bad for the baby as it is for her.

Her elbows resting on her thighs, Betty's head falls into her hands in distress.

"My parents... _That's_ what's wrong. The whole school knows that I'm pregnant, by the end of the day half of Riverdale will know that I'm pregnant, but my own parents _don't_ know that I'm pregnant yet... I've been avoiding it, but I need to tell them tonight. They need to hear it from me before they hear it through the grapevine."

"Would you like me to be there? Moral support, you know? I'll make sure that they don't haul you off to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy..." Jughead offers, looking down to Betty with concern from where she's resting comfortably against his chest once again.

Betty adjusts herself a little, extending herself to reach his jaw where she presses a grateful kiss.

"If you don't mind being here for what's sure to be a dramatic edition of your typical, lovely, Cooper family dinners, then I'd really appreciate the support. _Thank you_."

Grabbing her phone off of her bedside table, Betty starts a new message to one of her most frequent contacts, sending the message off with bated-breath.

**Mom**   
_Jughead's having dinner with us tonight. There's something I need to tell you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're finally back together!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read & commented on the last chapter.
> 
> Next chapter: Betty & Jughead have dinner with her parents. How will they react to Betty's pregnancy and just how much of the truth will she tell them?


	13. The Cooper Curse

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: The Cooper Curse**

Three of the four Cooper's are sat around the table, joined by their guest for the evening, Jughead.

After the truth about Jason's murder had been revealed and after Clifford Blossom was revealed to have killed his son before killing himself, Polly had decided to move away from Riverdale. As much as she would have loved to stay living close to her family -Betty especially- and as much as she would have liked to have had their support as she prepares to welcome her twins into the world, Polly had decided that she needed to move.

Polly needed a fresh start, a clean slate and she felt that she needed to welcome her children into the world in a town where they wouldn't be judged for their background, their last name and their parentage as they would be in Riverdale.

She needed to move on in her life; away from Jason, away from his family and away from the small town judgement. So, she had moved away to live with Alice's sister –Polly's aunt and cousins- in Maine, providing her with the fresh start and support that she needed.

"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Cooper. It's the first meal I've had without a _Pop's_ logo in quite a while " Jughead says courteously.

"You're welcome, Jughead..." Alice says in response, answering the visitor equally as politely, yet lacking any warmth.

With everyone finished their meals, Betty begins to collect everyone's plates off the table, routinely. It had been one of her and Polly's responsibilities when they were growing up. However, after the many nights of clearing the dinner table, this particular night is a little different as Jughead stands up and wordlessly takes over for her, gesturing for her to stay in her seat.

By taking the dishes over to the kitchen for her, Jughead hopes he's giving Betty a window of opportunity to raise the topic that she knows she needs to discuss with her parents. So far, the entire meal had passed by in awkward silence.

Betty had resolved she would her parents of her pregnancy tonight... But, she didn't say _when_. Technically, until they had all disbanded from the dinner table, Betty hadn't chickened out completely _yet_.

The Coopers stay sitting in silence, sharing glances, for the entire time that Jughead is clearing off the table. Then, when he finally returns to his seat beside Betty, Alice is triggered to speak up.

"So, you said that you had something that you want to tell us, Elizabeth?"

Her mother's tone of voice almost seems as though she's daring Betty to tell her, or, she's daring her _not_ to. Either way, it's terrifying.

Betty takes the deepest breath of air as she feels Jughead's hand clutch hers under the table, along with his squeeze of reassurance.

"Mom... Dad... I'm having a baby."

If looks could kill, Hal would have been charged with Jughead's murder.

Meanwhile, in response to her daughter's news, Alice begins to laugh hysterically, her eyes wrenched shut. It's as though Betty's announcement has just brought on a sudden migraine and she's laughing the pain away.

" _Of course_ you are. That damned Cooper curse strikes again..."

Under the table, Jughead can feel Betty's hand tense up tightly as she sits there and witnesses her parent's reactions. He's glad that her own hand is within his, now knowing that if this had not been the case her tension would have been pressed into her own hands, scarring further fresh, red crescents into her skin.

"No... No. You might be pregnant, but you are _not_ having a baby" Hal says, standing up from his seat at the head of the dining table in protest.

The tables turn as her father grows more than vocal about the issue, while Alice grows surprisingly quiet after her initial manic laughter.

The grandmother-to-be is disappointed. She's ashamed that yet another of her daughters has fallen pregnant in high school. But, while she doesn't _like_ the situation, unlike Hal, Alice doesn't push Betty to abortion, nor does she prepare to send her off to the Sisters of Quite Mercy as she had with Polly. In fact, that thought barely even crosses her mind, because, a fact that Alice learnt to face with her eldest daughter's teen pregnancy is a fact that deep down, she always knew...

Alice Cooper _knows_ that as soon as you're pregnant, you're pregnant; there is no ideal or simple 'solution'.

"No, dad. I'm fifteen weeks... I'm in the second trimester."

While Betty is preoccupied with talking to her dad, Jughead's darting eyes could have sworn that he had noticed her mother exhaling a deep breath, a sigh of relief at her daughter's comment. _Surely_ not...

"Please don't send me away, dad, _please_."

Betty's father sighs loudly, swiping his forehead hastily as he takes a deep breath, clearly feeling agitated.

Hal knows how badly his eldest daughter's pregnancy and the way it was handled had impacted on his family. Termination had been his preference, hoping that the whole thing would go away, just like that. But, sending Polly away had been anything but. The result of sending Polly to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy had broken his family, leaving them crumbling and falling apart. So, as much as he might want the same for his youngest daughter, his baby, Hal knows all too well what the repercussions and ramifications that trying to make a pregnancy 'disappear' have.

"You are sixteen, Betty. You're just a child yourself! Not only will this baby sabotage your life, your career and your future, but you are hardly in any state to be a fit mother. That's not fair on you _or_ your child."

Betty takes a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She lets go of Jughead's hand as hers sling across her stomach protectively. She knows that keeping her baby is the _right_ thing to do and it's what she _wants_ to do, but her father had just tapped into one of her biggest fears... That she won't be _enough_.

Realising that he has weakened his daughter's determination a little, Hal's focus shifts slightly, moving to the boy beside her.

"So what do you have to say, _Jughead_?!" Hal asks, his voice barely lower than a shout as he enunciates Jughead's name to sound like something you'd expect to find on the bottom of your shoe.

Hal's question is a taunt, a challenge, a trap. There is _no_ right answer that the teenage boy could try and give him.

"I think that it's a shame that this has happened when Betty's so young, but it doesn't change the fact that it _has_ happened. And, consequently, I'm going to support her in every way that I can to help her with the baby. I'm going to do my damned best to make sure this doesn't hinder any of her opportunities that she may have had normally."

"Well, _**I** _ think that you have a damn lot to answer for, kid" Hal snarls as he gets up from his seat at the table, moving over to the other side where Jughead is sitting beside Betty. The protective father roughly snatches up the teenager, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and pulling him into standing up from his seat and shoving him away from the table, his daughter and closer towards the door.

"Get the hell out of my house and don't you dare think about coming back."

As soon as her boyfriend has been shoved, Betty is up and out of her own seat to be by his side, furious with her father.

"STOP IT! Just stop it! Don't you dare give Jughead a hard time for supporting me and standing by me! There is not a single reason that he _needs_ to be here apart from the fact that he _wants_ to be... It's not his baby."

With Betty's final four words, the intensity of the room comes to a grinding halt as everyone stops on the spot, freezing as they process what she is saying.

Then, as if the curse of silence is lifted, each other person in the room speaks once again, talking over top of each other to raise their own questions to Betty.

"What?"

"Who the hell _is_ the father, then?!"

"Betty... Wait. Are you sure you want to do this?"

As she looks between Jughead's frantic expression to her parent's dumbfounded ones, Betty takes a deep breath and prepares to come clean with the whole story. It's just like ripping off a bandaid. But, no matter how many times you do it, it doesn't get any easier...

"One night, a few months back, I was upset and I went out for a walk on my own... I was approached by a man who attacked me and that night, he raped me" Betty sighs, her voice barely louder than a whisper as fresh tears fill her eyes simply at the mention of her horrific experience. "... _he's_ the father of my baby. And, Jughead has been so incredible to be willing to support me with my pregnancy, with a baby that he _knows_ is not his."

Once again, the room falls to a sudden, eerie silence seeing as just minutes ago, her father had been shoving and shouting at her boyfriend haphazardously.

Waiting for a reaction, _any_ reaction, Betty uncomfortably returns to her seat, followed by Jughead who sits beside her and wraps an arm around her supportively, stroking her fallen tears off her cheek.

After a few moments, Betty brings herself to look up to her parents, to see the two reactions that she is terrified of seeing.

Hal's face has twisted and contorted into a vicious scowl. His eyebrows are furrowed tightly, his hands curling into clenched fists and his breaths are shallow, yet heavy. He looks furious, and rightly so, as he tries to process his daughter's horrific ordeal.

Meanwhile, Alice's expression is blank, emotionless. The _only_ giveaway to what she's thinking and how she's feeling is the clue in the way her body trembles, just a little. After moments of silence and relative stillness, she suddenly and abruptly leaves her seat, bursting into tears as she collapses beside where Betty is sitting at the table, hugging her.

"Oh, my baby... My poor baby... _My baby_..." her mom repeats over and over, in tears.

Jughead withdraws his arm that had been supportively slung around his girlfriend, permitting the mother and daughter to hold each other and hug each other as they cry together.

Both men in the room remain silent as they watch the women, painfully. This lasts until Hal suddenly springs to action for the first time since Betty confessed to her attack as he grabs his jacket off the coat rack, preparing for the cold Riverdale air outside.

"That's it. Who did it?! Tell me who the hell did it and I'll make sure he ends up in jail, if I don't kill the guy first. I'll do whatever it takes, there's no way he's getting out of this unscathed. Not after what he did to you!"

Pulling away from her embrace with her upset mother, Betty quickly swipes the freshest tears off of her cheeks as she gets up and rushes over to her dad, gently taking his jacket out of his hands, returning it to the hook that it had been on.

"No, dad... No... Thank you, but _no_. I can't tell you who it was. I know that **you** just want to protect _your_ baby, but **I** need to protect _my_ baby."

Hal looks unhappy at what his daughter has just told him so she wraps her arms around him in a hug, whispering into his ear. "Please dad... Just let it go."

When the father and daughter finally pull away from each other, Hal Cooper walks in the most unexpected direction. He walks over to his daughter's boyfriend, holding a hand out to Jughead.

"I apologise for lashing out at you. _Thank you,_ for supporting Betty."

Jughead takes his girlfriend's father's hand into his own with a nod as the two exchange a firm handshake. However, during the gesture, Jughead notices how Hal's eyes have glazed over, how they're on the verge of tearing up and are beginning to water.

As the handshake draws to an end, Hal moves across the room, back over to his daughter as he presses a kiss to the top of her head before leaving the room sheepishly. He knows that he is unable to uphold his strength and composure in front of his family for much longer as the toll of Betty's secret comes crashing down on her irate, devastated, father.

After Hal leaves the room, Alice too leaves not long after, giving her daughter another hug before she follows after her husband, leaving the two remaining teenagers to be alone together in the living area of the Cooper family home.

"Are you alright?" Jughead checks as he wraps his arms around Betty in a big, protective bear-hug, pressing a kiss to her golden locks.

Betty sighs, resting against his collarbone tiredly. "I'm okay... Pretty exhausted, but I don't if I've got my parents or the baby that I've got to thank for that. How are _you_? I'm so sorry for how my dad reacted... Are you feeling ready to bolt now?"

"Absolutely not... I'm here for you through it all, remember? The good, the bad and the crazy... But, I better head off and let you get some rest."

As much as she wants to, Betty is too tired to protest or to offer for him to stay a little longer, _especially_ after the day that she's had.

It had started off with her pregnancy being announced at school to her teaches and classmates; _including_ the unknowing father of her child. Then, after school she had reconciled with Jughead before finally telling her parent's of her pregnancy and rape. Consequently, Betty wants nothing more than to jump into bed and just start with a fresh day tomorrow.

"Thank you, Juggie... Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for _everything_ " Betty smiles tiredly, but leans in to press a kiss goodnight to her boyfriend's lips.

"I love you, Betts... I love you so much."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness. I thought that writing this chapter was going to be the end of me! Betty's parents are SO complex (Alice especially!). I feel like in most ways, Alice is just a fiercely protective mother who carries her own regrets so this was the way I have chosen to write her. The only thing that I can't understand is why she just sat there when Polly was hauled out that morning to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, forcing that upon her daughter when we found out later that it was her biggest regret. I'd be interested in your take on the Coopers.
> 
> Ultimately, I decided to perceive them and how they reacted the way that they did not because Polly was pregnant, but rather because she was having Jason's babies. So, I feel like they wouldn't detest Betty's pregnancy so much as Polly's and I just felt like Betty revealing the truth behind her pregnancy would bring out a softer side.
> 
> Next chapter: Alice is forced to acknowledge Betty's pregnancy. Also, Jughead can't understand why he feels like Betty's pushing him away again.


	14. Learning Curves

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Learning Curves**

It turns out that Betty's big pregnancy reveal -in front of _half_ the school and all thanks to an intervening Cheryl Blossom- had happened at just the right time. After all, just a few mornings after her pregnancy was announced to Riverdale High, Betty finds herself standing in front of her floor-length mirror as she looks at her form in the first layer of today's outfit; a tight-fitting, white camisole and underwear.

The teenager's slim and taut frame bears a noticeable curve over her abdomen; a curve that she's _sure_ wasn't there yesterday, or at least was only a fraction as noticeable.

Looking at herself side-on through the mirror, the swelling to her stomach can no longer be excused for a big lunch. It can't be misconstrued as being anything _other_ than the evidence that her baby is quite clearly growing.

Betty takes a deep breath to steady her nerves before running her hand over the swell to her abdomen, gently rubbing her baby bump with her palms as she watches herself touch her own, changing body in the mirror.

"Oh wow... Good morning bubba. You're getting big in there, aren't you?"

Just like every other symptom, her growing baby bump is just another sign of the fact that she's still struggling to believe is really happening to her. She really _is_ pregnant and there really _is_ a growing baby that's developing within her.

But, just in case every other symptom of pregnancy isn't already enough of a reminder that she's carrying a baby, _of course_ **she** has to expand as her baby does; which is **just** what every teenage girl dreams of...

"Well, all I can say is that it's a good thing that I love you, bubba, for making me looking like I just ate twelve doughnuts too many..."

Surveying the changes to her own body, Betty releases a small sigh. In the back of her mind, she is already thinking about what shirt or sweater she can wear which will be the least obvious and most slimming in order to hide her swelling abdomen as much as possible. While the majority of her classmates already know she is pregnant, Betty doesn't want to bring any unwanted attention to her weight gain and, a little seed of worry that's planted deep within her mind can't help but worry about wanting to look the best for her boyfriend.

As she continues to study her small, yet noticeable bump, Betty's view changes from side-on silhouette view in the mirror to birds-eye-view looking straight down on her hand as it cradles her stomach.

"I hope you're okay in there... I hope you're healthy."

When Betty hears movement outside of her room, further down the hallway, the moment is interrupted as she rips her hands away from her growing stomach.

Moments later, her mother walks into her open room, placing a glass of water and Betty's daily tablets that have been replaced with prenatal vitamins on her bedside table as she carries it in one hand, before placing a pile of freshly ironed, pressed and folded up clothes on her dresser.

In the days since Alice learnt of her youngest daughter's pregnancy, she has become very matter-of-fact, as if compensating for her emotional reaction on the evening that she found out. While she has been _supportive -_ making sure that Betty is eating enough, not letting herself get too tired and doing all the right things- her mother hasn't actually _mentioned_ her pregnancy or the baby since that night.

However, as Alice looks up at her daughter for the first time since entering her bedroom, a little gasp escapes her lips when she instantly notices the swelling bump in Betty's frame for the very first time.

It's like seeing her daughter's baby belly and seeing the evidence of her third grandchild suddenly makes everything real to Alice Cooper.

She recalls that feeling of standing in front of the mirror, gazing at her changing body with each of her three pregnancies, having not been all that much older than Betty the first time she experienced that. So, she can relate to Betty in that moment, she remembers it.

"My baby's having a baby..." Alice whispers, as if confirming the fact for herself, in a voice that is _just_ loud enough for her daughter to hear from the other side of the room.

Moving across the room, Alice releases a small sigh. She doesn't sound disappointed or disapproving; it's not a typical sigh of frustration with her daughter. No, instead, Alice sounds exhausted, like it's taken all her energy to ignore the fact that is now plain and clear in front of her.

Reaching her daughter across the room, she wraps her arms around Betty in a brief, gentle embrace, a hug. Then, just moments later, she pulls back, just keeping her grasp on Betty's arms, looking over her daughter's body as she had been too.

"My darling girl, I'm sorry that I've had trouble coming to terms with this. I know that I reacted badly to Polly's babies for other reasons. I have been working hard to stop myself from reacting badly to this baby for a _different_ reason..."

Without detailing further, both mother and daughter have an understanding of the fact that she is referring to the way that her third grandchild was made.

"You have been incredibly strong for your circumstances. And, I _am_ very proud of you and the beautiful, brave woman that you are becoming, Elizabeth..."

#

After her day had began with an unexpected deep-and-meaningful, Betty had to rush herself to make it to school on time that morning. She had even received a text from Jughead from where he was waiting to walk into school with her outside between the Andrews' and Cooper's front yards, checking that she was still planning to go to school for the day.

When she finally makes her way downstairs, closing the front door behind her, she quickly spots Jughead who is sitting on her front porch, waiting, having relocated to the new spot just a few minutes beforehand.

"Hey. Thanks for waiting" she greets as Jughead gets up to meet Betty at her side.

Jughead's brow furrows just a little at her tone of voice that is exposed in the four, little words. It's only a slight difference, unnoticeable to the untrained ear, but Jughead notes how she sounds a little flat this morning and not quite her usual peppy self. He doesn't mention it, instead taking a mental note to make sure she's doing okay later on.

As they begin the walk into school, he insists on taking her bag and she eventually relents, handing her boyfriend her school bag. Jughead hooks the additional bag over his back as his own satchel is slung across his side, causing him to look like quite the packhorse.

"So how are you feeling? Have you had any morning sickness today?"

Betty shakes her head in response, intentionally only answering one of his questions.

"Betts... Is something up? Did something happen with your mom and dad? Have _I_ done something? Is it the baby? Are _you_ okay?"

The change in her disposition between kissing her goodnight yesterday to now feels sudden and abrupt. It feels strongly reminiscent of when just weeks ago, she had been hiding her pregnancy from him and everyone else.

"I'm fine, we're all fine. It's nothing, Jug."

Betty releases her hold on her boyfriend's hand, her arms crossing in front of her. While her words are saying _one thing_ , her body language is saying _another_...

She doesn't want to admit that she's feeling self-conscious about her weight and her body.

She doesn't want to admit that she's worried that he'll look at her differently now that her body's changing.

She doesn't want to admit how now that she feels less attractive, she's worried that he'll find her the same way, too.

She doesn't want to draw his attention to it on the off-chance that he hasn't noticed her bump or her weight gain yet...

While Jughead has been _amazing_ , he's been her rock and her biggest source of support over the last few weeks, she just doesn't feel like it's the sort of thing that she can confide in him about.

So, instead, she continues to deny that there is anything wrong and he doesn't push the matter further for now, making a note to bring it up a little later on.

#

Later that day, Betty and Jughead make their way to their lunch table outside to meet up with their friends for the midday break.

Kevin quickly catches up with the couple, third-wheeling alongside them as the trio transitions from the school's hallways, walking outside.

Granted, summer is a bit of a non-event for Riverdale, the temperature never reaching anything unbearable for the cooler town. However, today is one of the warmer days of the year, _especially_ when you stand out like a sore thumb for wearing a pea-coat to school.

"Aren't you hot, Betty?"

" _Of course_ she is..." Jughead responds quietly with a smirk, taking full advantage of the opportunity presented by the double meaning of Kevin's comment.

Betty and Kevin each roll their eyes at Jughead's compliment; _her_ for the fact that she's still not in the best mood and _he_ for the fact that his friend had misconstrued his question.

"I'm fine, Kev. Thanks" Betty says, ignoring Jughead's flirtatious comment towards her.

He's just a little disappointed seeing as he had been striving for at least a small smirk from his girlfriend. However, her short and sharp response to one of her other closest friends only solidifies Jughead's concerns that she's not doing so well today, that something's up. After all, he's come to know Betty's secretive side a little _too_ well lately.

However, one thing that does make him feel a little more at ease is that he isn't the _only_ one Betty is acting off in front of, noting that her interactions with Kevin thus far, as well as with Veronica earlier today have all been a little different with her seeming a little more distant.

Something could be up **or** it could all just be a lethal cocktail of hormones. Who knows...

#

After school, Betty had invited Jughead over to her place, shocking him. When she'd been cool and distant towards him all day, he assumed that come 3:15, she couldn't wait to bolt with an excuse to finally flee from him.

But no, instead they find themselves in her room after school, under the premise of studying together.

However, before a textbook has even been opened, Betty's bright orbs look up to lock eyes with her boyfriend.

"Juggie...?"

With the one word, the silence in the room has been broken. Jughead is quick to look up to her, giving her his full attention to encourage her to continue speaking.

"I'm sorry... I know I've been a bit icy to you today. That wasn't fair."

Jughead just nods in acknowledgement of her apology. He's not put out by the fact, only curious as to the reason behind it. "Any particular reason why, Betts?"

Bashfully, Betty nods her head in answer to his question. Rather than explaining the reason why she had been cold towards him today, she decides to _show_ him instead. So, taking a deep breath, Betty nervously and delicately undoes each big, bronze button of her tan pea-coat, slowly mustering up the courage to simply reveal her typical jeans-and-sweater attire underneath the jacket. Her removal of one single item of clothing reveals the distinct curve to Betty's slim build, the first visual indicator that there's a baby growing inside of her.

Jughead's eyes bulge initially. She really _had_ popped overnight. Watching his eyes, Betty bites her lip insecurely before the ends of his lips curl to a growing smile, putting her at ease.

"Wow, Betts... You're showing!"

"It just looks like I ate too much..." she retorts insecurely, looking down to the same bump that his eyes are locked on.

Almost instantly, Betty hesitates in her decision to show Jughead and her arms cross in front of her insecurely. It's as if she's trying to hide her curve that she has just revealed to her boyfriend.

"No, it doesn't Betty. It **looks** like you're growing a baby. That is amazing. Your body is doing something incredible... You should be proud to show that off."

Her arms loosening a little, Betty's smile grows as she looks down to her baby bump once again, seeing her belly in a different light after Jughead's reassurances. He watches her closely, intently observing how her mood seems to lighten for the first time today, with his own smile growing as hers does.

"... That's your _baby_ , Betts."

"Bubba" she interjects, being quick to correct him as she presses a hand to her growing bump, slowly beginning to embrace her changing body with just a little help.

With her single-word reply, he looks at her with a little confusion settling into his expression.

"Bubba... The baby, it's _bubba_. I know that it's a bit silly, but I've just taken to calling it that."

He nods in understanding, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Bubba, hey...? Do you think that it's a little boy?"

She scrunches her face up a little in response to his question before shaking her head and expanding on her answer.

"No. No, not all... Honestly, I don't have any clue or inkling either way. It's just a pet name that's stuck..." she answers, before her voice lowers a few decibels and she continues speaking a little more shyly. "... But, you can call it bubba, too, _if you want_..."

As Betty trails off, she reaches out for his hand, taking it and holding it as Jughead gives their newly connected hands a reassuring squeeze, with a grin.

"Well, if _I'm_ gonna be bubba's dad, then I think that I'd better start..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're all enjoying the story thus far and I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter, too! Little shout-out to MotherMaple, BadWolfNovak, Tinnie & BunneyofDoom for dropping a review on the last chapter - big thank you!
> 
> Next chapter: Betty's newfound confidence is obliterated when Chuck confronts her about her pregnancy.


	15. Friends, Foes & Fathers

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Friends, Foes & Fathers**

The day after Betty's burgeoning baby bump began to appear clearly and the day after her boyfriend helped her to appreciate her changing body, Betty decided to try and embrace her new curve. After Jughead reassured her of how incredible her changing body is yesterday, he had unknowingly helped her to feel empowered. Her body  **is**  doing something amazing. And, as Jughead had advised, she should be proud of that, rather than trying to hide it.

So, for the mild, summers day in Riverdale, Betty decides against trying to hide her baby belly under the same thick and warm tan pea-coat as yesterday when she had used the jacket to try and poorly conceal her growing abdomen. Instead, she wears a light yellow summery dress to school, partnered with a simple white cardigan with neither item of clothing doing anything to hide or disguise her baby belly.

That morning, Betty had been running a little late for school so she messaged the boys-next-door, telling them to walk in without her. Jughead was initially hesitant about the idea, but he didn't want to pressure her or rush her by Betty knowing that he was waiting around for her. However, when Betty finally arrives at school just a little later than usual after not running quite as late as she thought she was, she is quick to find and join her friends in the corridor, approaching the group of four.

As soon as he catches sight of her, Jughead moves away from their friends and the group that she is walking over to join. Instead, he meets her halfway in the corridor, with their bodies meeting just before she reaches the others and he greets her with a deep kiss that is far too brief.

"Look at you..." Jughead grins with the look of love on his face as he gazes adoringly at his girlfriend. The way he takes her all in -baby bump and all- does the world of good for her confidence, holding even more power than his words do in that moment.

Although their lips have separated, neither half of couple stray too far from the other as Jughead continues the embrace by wrapping his girlfriend in a comforting hug and presses a kiss to her hair as his lips meet her ear, whispering reassuringly, "you look absolutely beautiful, Betts."

After the couple have their little moment to themselves, they close the few metres of distance between themselves and their friends, joining the remaining trio.

When Veronica catches sight of her best friend's small, but evident baby bump, she races over to the blonde with a little squeal of excitement.

"Look at you, hot mama!" she smiles with excitement as she joins her friend by her side. Then, not waiting for Betty's permission, the raven-haired-girl reaches out to touch her friend's baby bump affectionately.

Betty flinches a little at her friend's unanticipated touch. She's been especially susceptible to unanticipated touching since her attack, but something tells her she's going to have to learn to disguise the way she really feels and Veronica is a good starting point. After all, she's heard Polly's horror stories of people, strangers and all, being drawn to touching her own baby bump like a Buddha.

"You're glowing, Betty! You're absolutely radiant!" Kevin says, adding to Veronica's compliment with a warm smile.

"Thanks guys..." Betty responds, a light blush spreading over her cheeks, feeling a little embarrassed by her friend's overwhelmingly positive reactions.

Archie is the only one in the group to remain silent, gawking a little from where his eyes are quite obviously locked on Betty's growing stomach. He's still finding it a little hard to digest the fact that his childhood best friend, his sweet Betty, is preparing to be a mother so young and so soon. He still can't quite wrap his head around that fact, but seeing her evident baby bump only makes it harder for him to deny.

Noting the fact that Archie is the only one who hasn't said a word yet, Veronica harshly sends a jab of her elbow into his side to kick-start him into saying  _something_ , anything.

"Uh, yeah, totally" Archie adds unconvincingly, having been jolted into action by Veronica.

Jughead, Veronica and Kevin all give their red-head friend unimpressed looks at his lack of response and the poor quality of what he  _did_  say. Archie gets the point that they're all trying to make to him, quickly trying to backpedal and rewind his comment.

"I'm sorry Betty... That sounded terrible. I'm just still trying to comprehend that the little girl that I grew up with is gonna have her own little baby. But, you  **do**  look good.  _Really_  good..."

"Watch it, man" Jughead warns jokingly, Betty's boyfriend teasing their friend for overcompensating a little  _too_  much.

Betty just chuckles, reaching out to briefly stroke a nervous Archie's arm affectionately, to try and put him at ease before she finds her way back to Jughead as his arms wrap around her waist and the group continues on with preparing for their school day ahead of them...

#

Most of that day, Betty felt good.

Thanks to her supportive friends and boyfriend, Betty felt confident enough to face everyone's indiscreet pointing fingers and obvious whispers for the rest of the day, feeling more confident in the way that her body is changing during her pregnancy as her baby grows.

She gets through almost the entire day feeling strong and empowered, and it's only just as the last period of the day begins when that feeling is threatened for Betty...

Jughead is in English with Archie and Kevin, while Veronica is in Maths. Betty, however, has frees for her final period of the day. While she could have left school in order to study at home if she really wanted, Betty decided to stay at school and hang around as she does on most Thursday afternoons. She is planning to go and study in the library until school finishes, waiting around to meet up with Jughead in order to work on the paper together after school.

Seeing as classes have started, aside from the occasional late-straggler rushing through the hallway to get to their class, Betty is essentially on her own in the school corridor. She's preoccupied with exchanging some of her notebooks and textbooks with others that are in her locker as she determines what assignments she will work on and what classes she will study for during the rest of the final period and until the final school bell marks the end of the day.

With her mind elsewhere, Betty doesn't notice that someone has come up behind her  _until_  she is jolted out of her own thoughts by a voice from behind.

"So... You're pregnant."

As she immediately darts around from her locker to face the man standing too close behind her, Betty instantly feels on-edge.

"Get away from me, Chuck" Betty hisses through gritted teeth as she tries to remain as calm as she possibly can, despite what an impossible feat that feels like.

In response to her request, Chuck just smirks. Instead of abiding by it he moves arrogantly, inching  _closer_  to her, rather than further away.

As he moves in towards her, Betty shifts uncomfortably. Instinctively, her arms cross in front of her abdomen protectively, where she's carrying their child. Her heart begins to pound faster and she desperately tries to maintain her composure in front of him.

"Is the baby mine?" Chuck asks in a low voice.

For the briefest moment, Betty can see a look of vulnerability wash over Chuck. It's like he is genuinely affected by the question that he puts to Betty, the question of whether or not she is carrying his child.

"Did you not hear Jughead? He said it's  _his_  baby, loud and clear. I know you're slow, but you have had a couple of days for that to sink in."

Despite her words, Chuck raises an eyebrow and continues watching the blonde in front of him intently. He can see the way each breathe she takes becomes deeper and deeper.

"Yeah, but is it  _really..._? Is there any chance that the kid's mine?" the African-American teenager asks, pausing for a moment before he takes another step closer to Betty. In response to his actions, she squirms, flinching in the familiarity of her fear as he backs her up against the locker. His head zeroes in on hers as her eyebrows furrow and her eyes are wide in fear of what Chuck is doing next.

"...Or,  _ours_ , should I say" he adds with a smirk as he whispers into her ear before pulling back just a little. He pulls away just enough to see how uncomfortable she is trying to hide the fact that she is feeling.

She should yell. She should scream. She should cry for help.

... She  _should_.

But, in that moment, Betty finds that she just  _can't_  as she freezes up completely.

Then, finding an open space between where her arms are crossed over her abdomen, Chuck places a hand to her baby belly. Instantly he can feel her tense under the touch of his palm just as she immediately pushes his hand off of her stomach with all her remaining strength. "Get the hell away from me."

Betty's arms had been previously wrapped around her stomach before she swiped Chuck's hands off of her baby belly and away from her. However, they now hang by her sides as her hands begin to clench, her nails gripping into the skin of her palms as her hands close into fists.

It would be too easy for Betty to cry. It would be too easy for her to crumble, to quiver in fear and fall to the ground. It would be too easy for her to just give up and give him the answer he's looking for -the truth- and simply wait for him to disappear, for her nightmare to be over. But, Betty knows that as impossible it feels, she has to be strong. She has to stay strong and show Chuck her conviction for the sake of her baby. She needs there to be no doubt in Chuck's mind as to whether or not the baby is his or whether it's Jughead's. She  _needs him_  to believe that she's not hiding anything...

"Jughead is going to be the father of this baby. Now, leave me alone."

Chuck doesn't react; his expression doesn't shift or change even a little as he continues watching her closely.

"You see, that's just the thing...  _I don't believe you_. You're a bad liar, Betty Cooper, and you're an even worse bluffer. It's just like I knew you were bluffing when you said that Jughead knew about us that day in the newsroom when -as soon as he opened his mouth- it was quite clear that he didn't have a clue."

_Betty's stomach churns from within her. She's virtually unaware of how her nails dig further and deeper into her palms._

"There's no 'us', Chuck" Betty retorts with a scrunched up face. "No, it was just  _you_... You and your selfish, repulsive actions."

_Deeper and deeper her nails drive into her palms, creating fresh, red crescents on her tender, scarred skin._

Despite Betty's rejections, cockiness and overconfidence is still strewn into Chuck's body language, along with every move and expression he makes. In fact, he ignores her last statements completely.

"Look, I overhead Kevin talking about your due date... He said that you're due just before school ends... It adds up, Betty. Take away nine months from that and-"

_She's unaware of the trickling, red drops that nestle under the bed of her nails._

"No! Stop it. Just stop it!" Betty exclaims, unable to control the way her eyes fill with the moisture of tears that threaten to fall, knowing just how close Chuck is to the truth.

"The baby  _is_ mine, isn't it?"

Pause. He looks at her expectantly. She doesn't say a word. Rather, her eyes fall to the ground and she struggles to hold back her ever-threatening tears.

"Look, I can change, Betty. I can learn to change, just say the word. Just admit it's mine..."

Betty doesn't say a single word. She knows her lies are failing her and she knows that Chuck has a pretty good idea of the truth. But, she still can't give in. She won't give in. So, she just stays silent and strong, determined to protect her baby despite this sinking ship that she is trapped aboard.

In the silence, as her eyes meet his, Betty is acutely aware of just how closely and just how intently Chuck is observing during the encounter. She knows that he's waiting for her to crack and she knows that he's waiting to call her bluff. So, she knows that she can't let him.

Consequently, an intense stare off ensues between the two, both feeling like they have something to prove. After a good minute or so, Betty is beginning to worry about just how much longer she can keep it up for when finally Chuck nods a few times, still a little blasé, before taking a few steps back and giving in to defeat for this round, anyway.

"Oh well... You can say what you want and you can plead your case until you're black-and-blue in the face.  _But_ , you and I both know that there's no hiding the truth. The truth  **will**  come out and one day,  _everyone_  will know if it is a Clayton. And, if that day does come, we both know that I have rights..."

As his words and threats trail off, Chuck's thumb rises to meet Betty's face as his finger briefly brushes over jaw. However, before she has a chance to stop him and before she has a chance to even just react, his thumb is gone again. Then, with one final smirk, Chuck ensures that he still walks off with a bang.

As he leaves her standing alone by her locker in the empty hallway, Betty shudders, feeling the shivers pulse through her from the encounter. She can feel her heart pounding, her fear and disgust coursing through her from the encounter. She feels sick to her stomach as she clutches her abdomen, knowing it's not from the return of her morning sickness, but rather the venomous after-effects of his words and actions. She feels her hands clench tighter at the thought of the trails left behind by his touch on her jaw and her stomach. And, she suffers through the haunting replay of the way he got far too close to her again when he whispered in her ear.

Ultimately, Betty feels dirty. All she wants is to scrub herself clean from him. But, as she stands there shivering and shaking as she struggles to breath, she just hopes that she did enough to put Chuck off the scent, to cut down his suspicion of her baby being his.

Ultimately, she just hopes that she has done enough to protect her baby from their father...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just as Betty was starting to feel good in her own skin thanks to Jug and Co., along comes Chuck... Who's catching on that he's really her baby-daddy. I would love to hear what you all thought of the events of the chapter!
> 
> Also, thank you to tinnie, Jordy and BadWolfNovak for reviewing the last chapter/s. You have no idea just how much I appreciate the support, so thank you kindly.
> 
> Next chapter: After her confrontation with Chuck, Betty faces some tough truths and confides in Jughead over her greatest fears.


	16. The Traces of Him

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: The Traces of Him**

After her encounter with Chuck that leaves her struggling for air as she trembles away from her locker, Betty heads straight for the newsroom.

She knows that Jughead won't be out of his class to join her for upwards of an hour. But, she also knows that she won't be able to control her tears and calm herself down enough to not make a scene in the library, where she'd originally been planning to study  _before_  the father of her child had confronted her.

Just over an hour later is when Jughead strolls into the  _Blue and Gold_  newsroom to meet Betty. As he fidgets with something in his satchel, he doesn't really look up as he enters the room. He knows from experience that Betty is always in the newsroom first, so he just starts speaking as soon as he walks under the threshold.

"So, English was great for once today. Archie spent forty five minutes trying to convince Mr. Mead that it's pronounced 'proNOUNciation', not 'proNUNciation'. Check Snapchat, I'm pretty sure that Kevin discreetly got some footage."

It's only after Betty fails to reply when Jughead looks up and sees his girlfriend, red-eyed and slumped in a chair on the other side of the room, clearly upset.

"Betts..." Jughead rasps at the sight of her. He can literally feel his stomach plummet from within him, before being replaced with fear as he races across the room to be by his girlfriend. In a panic, Jughead drops to her side, crouching beside her as he tries to determine what's wrong and what has Betty so upset.

"Betty... What's wrong? Are you okay? Is bubba okay? You're scaring me. Talk to me, Betts."

Jughead's voice is frantic with fear as he strokes her golden locks with one hand, using his other to pull her body into his in an attempt to comfort her.

"Chuck..."

At that one, single word Betty can  _feel_  Jughead physically tense up from where she has quickly settled within his arms.

"What  _about_  Chuck? Did he hurt you?! I swear I'll-"

Betty sniffles, quickly cutting him off by shaking her head into his chest.

"He knows, Juggie. I didn't admit to it, but I think he knows that we're lying. He said he has rights... What if he tries for custody after the baby's born?"

The moment that she utters her final word, Betty cries inconsolably into her boyfriend's chest, he holding her closer and tighter as she mumbles incoherently about how she should have reported the rape and how her situation is all her fault for failing to do so.

Jughead's face is serious and stern; his eyes almost look like they're on the verge of beginning to water. But, more than anything he looks determined. Adjusting them slightly, he gently holds Betty's head in his hands reassuringly, looking her directly in the eyes.

"Betty... Listen to me. This is not your fault by any stretch of the imagination. And, don't worry about Chuck, Betts. No matter he might say or do, I will fight for you, for  _both_  of you. I know that nothing is going to change the fact that biologically, he is the father. But,  _I promise you_  that no matter what, I am going to do my damn best and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that monster is kept out of you and the baby's lives... I won't let him hurt you or bubba."

Betty's green orbs look to Jughead, exposing her heartbreak. Although she nods a little at his words of reassurance, as she looks into his eyes, he can see how crushed she is and how weak she feels as four words spill from her lips, tipping her over the edge.

"I'm having  _Chuck's_  baby..." she sobs, her head falling into Jughead's chest as she acknowledges the truth that they both already know, but the truth that she would do anything to suppress.

Before today, Betty had worked  **so**  hard to ignore that one simple fact that her unborn child wouldn't exist if it weren't for the monster she knows, the object of her nightmares... She had worked  **so**  hard to concentrate on the fact that it is  _her_  baby; that it doesn't matter  _who_  the father of her child is... Or, maybe even more so, it had been far too easy for Betty to play along with the charade they are creating, beginning to believe that Jughead would be the father of her child, despite the fact that he does not share a single gene with her child...

However, after her confrontation with Chuck, Betty suddenly can't ignore the fact that he was right. No matter how much she might like to ignore the fact and forget it, she  **is**  carrying his baby...

"My baby is half of  _him_ , too, Jug. Half of his genes are going into the person that he or she will be..."

Jughead doesn't even have a chance to respond to Betty before her face pales while she looks at him and tightly wraps her arms around her abdomen, clutching it protectively.

"... What if the baby takes after  _him_? What if my baby is just born being a bad person, too? What if there's nothing that I can do to stop my baby from hurting other people too? I'm sure that Chuck's parents didn't raise him thinking that he'd be capable of what he has..."

"Betty. If that baby has inherited even an ounce of your goodness, that will be enough to outweigh even the darkest of Chuck's evil. Not to mention, bubba will be learning from the best by being raised with  _you_  as his or her role model... He or she is going to turn out to be one, incredible kid."

Listening to his reassurances, Betty releases a little huff of air, a small smile beginning to form on her lips as Jughead tells her all the right words to alleviate her fears.

"Betty Cooper. You are going to be an amazing mother. You are loving and nurturing. You have the biggest heart in the world and that that kid will have all the love in the world that it needs, just from you alone. But, more than that, you are going to raise an amazing, respectful, responsible little person. I'm speaking from firsthand experience when I say that you bring out the best in people, Betts."

Long after her nickname leaves his lips, Betty gazes at her boyfriend, reading and analysing the honesty in his eyes after his words. The results of her analysis only causes further love for him to swell through her as she smiles at his reassurances. Feeling a sense of comfort and calm for the first time since Chuck had approached her earlier that day, it prompts Betty to reduce the space between their bodies and lean forwards, towards him to reduce the gap between them and press a deep, loving kiss of appreciation for him to his lips before pulling away.

"Thank you, Juggie...  _Thank you_."

#

Later that evening after the emotionally taxing day she had endured, Betty finds herself in bed immediately after dinner, set for an early night.

After all, having been confronted by the father of her child earlier today, she has been left feeling unsettled for the remainder of the day.

After returning home from school, Betty had scrubbed her skin to the point of being tender and red in the shower. Yet, she still didn't feel like she had expelled her demons. She still didn't feel clean. She still didn't feel like she had scrubbed the lingering remnants of Chuck's touch off of her, with his touch being a reminder of what is just the tip of the iceberg.

While Jughead might have helped her to find peace with the fact that it's Chuck's baby that she's carrying earlier today, the effect of him is not quite gone entirely. Nothing will ever  _really_  erase what Chuck did to her. And, every time that she sees him in class, every time he sends a smirk her way and every time that he steps too close to her, she is only reminded of the damage done.

After all, she's been tainted. She's been  _scarred_.

Consequently, Betty put herself to bed early, wishing that it will be as easy as just waking up to a new day and fresh start tomorrow. That it will all just disappear.  _If only_.

Because,  _nothing_ can ever quite scrub her completely clean of Chuck Clayton.

#

The following morning, Betty wakes up to find a thoughtful message sitting there and waiting for her.

 **Jughead** :  
 _Good morning B &B. Hope you're feeling better this morning xx_

Just lately, Jughead has taken to the 'B&B' abbreviation, Betty & bubba, in written form. While he's never actually called them that, over the last few weeks that title had woven its way into most of his messages to her.

Re-reading the string of words, Betty smiles at the text from her boyfriend. Her day is already off to a good start. She feels her heart flutter with love and appreciation for the man she loves. Not only is Jughead making such a sacrifice with his enormous offer to step in as the father of her unborn child, but on top of that, he is always doing little things, making little gestures to either make her day better or to remind her of his love and support, such as his good morning message today.

You might not know it at first glance or if you don't know him well, but Jughead Jones has an enormous amount of love to give. And, Betty Cooper feels completely spoiled with both her and her unborn child being the recipients of all that love.

"Juggie says good morning to us, bubba. Aren't we lucky?" Betty says to her unborn child as she presses a hand to her abdomen. She's  _sure_  that her stomach feels a little plumper and fuller than it had compared to even just yesterday.

She then picks her phone up, tapping a few times to make a call to the most frequent contacted person on her phone.

Within seconds, the phone call is accepted and the call is connected, with Betty jumping in to speak first.

"Good morning you... Hey, thanks for the message."

"Good morning yourself... How are you feeling?"

Settling into her bed comfortably as she prepares herself for an undoubtedly long phone call with her boyfriend, Betty smiles contently. One hand is holding her phone up to her ear as the other affectionately rubs her growing baby bump.

"We're good. No sign of any morning sickness and seeing as it's been about two weeks since I have, I'm hoping that I can confidently say I'm out of the woods now. How are you?"

"Archie's snoring was atrocious this morning so I was pretty crabby for losing out on my sleep in, but I'm  _much_  better now. I'm at  _Pop's_. Want me to pick you up anything for breakfast?"

Betty smiles, sitting up a little more in bed with her interest piqued by her boyfriend's offer.

"I would  **love**  a chicken burger and I would love  _you_  even more for getting me one."

Over the line, Jughead chuckles lightly. He's still getting used to pregnant-Betty's appetite. Just a few, short months ago having such a big meal for breakfast would have constituted a  _sin_. Now, while Betty hasn't had any major cravings, it seems that she can't get enough of chicken, looking for any excuse to have the protein for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"Chicken burger's coming up. Do you want a drink?"

"Listen to you..." Betty giggles over the phone as Jughead takes her order. "Pop Tate should be listening in to this phone call. I think you could score yourself a job, Juggie. And, yes, I'll have a milkshake too, thanks."

Jughead's acknowledges her order and she lines the next question up, beginning to ask him what he's ordering –  _hoping_  he happens to be getting the bacon sandwich that she's low-key dreaming of in addition to her chicken burger.

However, Betty is mid-sentence when she stops speaking suddenly. Over the line, he hears her sudden, low, rasp of breath. At the peculiarity in their phone call, Jughead instantly grows worried, fearing the worst.

"Betty? Betts... Are you there? Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." she says; being quick to reply. Betty can hear the terror in his voice and while she wants to extinguish that, all that she can get out is that one, simple word, not doing the world of good for her worried boyfriend.

The line falls to silence again before Betty releases a small, soft gasp.

"Betty? What's wrong?! You're scaring me to death here... You've got three seconds or else I'm dropping the order and high-tailing it to your place."

"It's okay Juggie. I'm okay. I'm sorry for scaring you..."

As she speaks again, Jughead can tell that Betty's smiling from just simply hearing her voice. That fact instantly alleviates the majority of his fears.

"... I think... I think that I just felt the baby moving for the first time."

" _Really_...?" Jughead confirms; the wonder clear in his voice even with his one word reply. "That's amazing Betts! What does it feel like?"

Before she has a chance to reply, Betty feels another shift of movement from within her, unable to suppress the giggle she releases.

"It's like... I don't even know... It's like when you're really hungry and you can feel your whole stomach rumble, that's what the sensation kind of feels like, but it's all concentrated in one small spot. It so gentle, yet it feels so strong. It's incredible, Juggie."

Despite the fact that he's only living the moment audibly, over the phone, and despite the fact that it's technically not even his child, a smile instantly floods over Jughead's lips as he stands, waiting for their food order and listening to the mother-to-be's excitement.

Holding her phone by sandwiching it between her shoulder and her ear, Betty distractedly feels her abdomen, her hand moving around over her baby bump as she tries to feel the movement with her hand at the same time as feeling it within her.

"Oh I hope that you'll be able to feel it, Jug... I can't really feel it with my hand, only really internally. I can't even really tell if it's kicking or whether it's just moving around."

Jughead can feel something inside of him fall a little in disappointment, trying not to let it seep into his voice as he replies to Betty.

"Oh... That's okay. I'm sure the moving and kicking will get stronger eventually..."

"I'm sorry, Juggie" Betty says, apologising for the fact that she has absolutely no control over. However she feels inspired to apologise at hearing the disappointment in his voice. Despite his best attempts to conceal it, she just knows him far too well.

"What are you sorry for?" Jughead asks, shifting his voice, trying to sound nonchalant now.

She is just about to tell him how she knows him better than that; how she knows every feeling that his voice is reflecting, no matter whether he tries to hide it or not. However, Jughead welcomes the interruption of Pop Tate reaching out and handing him two takeaway cups and one takeaway food bag, giving him a reason to end the phone call without allowing her to continue on.

"Sorry Betts. Gotta go, the food's ready. I'll be at your place soon. Love you."

With a quick "Love you too", the young couple hangs up from one another, leaving Jughead to juggle their breakfast that he's carrying over to the Cooper's.

Betty on the other hand puts her phone down and snuggles a little deeper in her bed for a moment, knowing that she should get up and get ready as Jughead will be there shortly. However, she allows herself to savour the moment for just a little longer. Pressing her hand down deeply into her growing stomach, trying to find and feel any movement from her unborn baby. She's still buzzing from the first feeling of movement; the energy from her baby energising  _her_...

After a while, she feels another little rumble of movement from within her, eliciting a small giggle at the new sensation as happy tears prick her eyes.

It's one thing to be told you're pregnant. It's another to see your baby. But, to actually feel it and to feel that it's growing within you, that's just next level.

"Oh, I love you, bubba. No matter what, I love you so much."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to BunneyofDoom, BadWolfNovak and tinnie for reviewing the last chapter! It means the world.
> 
> Next chapter: Place your bets. It's game-on in the lead up to finding out the gender of Betty's baby. What do you think it is? Then, Jughead & Betty are the ones who are caught by surprise when their secret is sprung on someone else.


	17. Surprise

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Surprise**

The weeks continue passing by until Betty eventually reaches the halfway mark of her pregnancy.

The mum-to-be is booked in for her twenty-week appointment after-school today and she can feel her nerves growing at the impending event. Unlike her first prenatal appointment and ultrasound which she had attended alone, Jughead had enthusiastically offered to join her this time around and -just quietly- she couldn't be more glad at the prospect of her boyfriend's company.

Meeting at their usual lunch table that day, Betty is the last to join their group. She had stayed back in class to ask her English teacher a few questions regarding her assignment before making her way to lunch, joining her boyfriend and their friends.

"Happy halfway-day Betty!" Veronica exclaims excitably as soon as she spots Betty approaching their table, before taking her seat and slotting beside Jughead who had been sharing his half of the bench with Archie.

"Thanks V..." Betty smiles at her friend's enthusiasm. However, considering that Betty is equally as nervous as she is excited about her appointment, Veronica's excitement helps her to focus on the more positive feeling for just few moments, overruling her anxieties.

"Wow... So has it really been over twenty-weeks that you two have been together for?! That flew!" Kevin states innocently. However his well-meaning comment skates just a little  _too_  close to the edge of comfort for the couple. Consequently, neither Betty nor Jughead say anything in response to Kevin. Instead, Jughead just presses a kiss to his girlfriend's lips, with the PDA sparking a distraction from their well-meaning friend's comment.

... After all, it  _hasn't_  been twenty weeks that the couple has been together for. No, rather, it has only been more like sixteen weeks since Betty and Jughead began dating, with the couple only getting together roughly a month  _after_  her baby was conceived so horribly.

"So what time is your appointment today?"

Betty is  _eternally_  grateful for Veronica's new question that sparks a diversion in the conversation. "My appointment's straight after school. Four o'clock this afternoon."

"Wonderful. In that case, I expect to know the gender by 4:13 at the very latest. Aunty V is  _dying_  to know whether to buy pink or blue on her next shopping spree... But, before then, we have bets to place. Now, I'm thinking a beautiful, bouncing baby girl; Betty's golden locks, Jughead's eyes."

The couple shares a discreet, but knowing, look at Veronica's bet. They both know that  _no matter what_  that baby will never have Jughead's eyes.

As their eyes hesitantly breakaway from each other's, Betty and Jughead are thankful for the red-head of the group who speaks up, adding fuel to the betting match that Veronica had begun.

"Nah, as if, it's a boy for sure" Archie retorts, brashly shoving Veronica's bet to the side. "Little Jughead. Complete with a crown beanie and all."

Across the table from Archie, Kevin nods his head in understanding at his friend's prediction, wearing an expression on his face to show that he's deeply thinking about the betting.

"I think I'm with you, Archie. I'm going to go for a baby boy, too. But, I think he'll be more of a mix of Jughead and Betty."

Kevin's guess gets several nods around the table before Veronica's attention darts to the only two people who are yet to give their guesses.

"What about you, mum and dad?"

Jughead quickly speaks up, showing absolutely no hesitance to answer Veronica's question.

"Girl... She'll look exactly like her mum."

Betty and Jughead share a smile at his comment that holds far more meaning to them than it does to the others.

"B? What about you? Mama knows best, after all."

A little smirk spreads across the blonde's lips, making it inherently obvious that she's spent far too much time with her boyfriend, taking on a smirk to rival his.

"I'm happy with either and I don't want to sway my opinion one way or the other or be disappointed, so I'm not telling what my guess is. My lips are sealed..."

#

When the bell finally rings at the end of the day, Betty and Jughead couldn't have rushed out of that school faster. Overcompensating for the time it would take to get from their school to the hospital, the young couple arrive at the hospital a little too early and consequently they are stuck and left playing the waiting game, twiddling their thumbs, bouncing their feet up and down and sighing as they wait for Betty's name to be called.

"Want to hear something stupid?" Jughead asks his girlfriend, glancing over to where she is seated beside him. Their hands are locked into one another's, both resting on his thigh.

Betty looks at him expectantly, her expression telling Jughead that  _yes_  she most definitely wants to hear something stupid; especially if it's going to help kill the time.

"... Honestly Betts, I don't think that I've ever felt this nervous in my life. All  _I_  have to do is stand there, look pretty and nod my head. What do  _I_  even have to be nervous about?!"

"Aw, Juggie..." Betty smiles at his evident enthusiasm at the experience. "I know what you mean... After all, all that  _I_  have to do is lay there, look pretty and nod my head, too. I thought that it would be easier the second time around...  _Especially_  considering that I have you this time."

As Betty glances over to Jughead, the two share a smile with each other. Lifting their interlocked hands to his lips, Jughead presses a kiss to her hand before their connected hands return to where they had been resting on his thigh.

The couple goes silent, continuing the waiting game as Jughead checks his emails, while Betty peruses baby naming websites on her phone. After a few minutes, Betty notes how she keeps leaning towards looking at names of one particular gender, trying to remind herself that she doesn't know what she's having either way before repeating the whole process all over again. It's on the third time that she leans over towards Jughead.

"Juggie..." Betty utters in little more than a whisper to catch her boyfriend's attention.

Instantly, Jughead snaps to attention as he looks over to Betty as she continues speaking, noting his attentiveness to her.

"... I think that bubba's a boy" Betty confesses with a smile, divulging her prediction as to her unborn baby's gender to the only person she has decided to share her guess with before the time for guessing is up and before she knows for certain.

At first, Jughead reciprocates her smile before he releases a drawn out groan.

"Oh man Betts... My money was on a girl! If  _you_  think the baby's a boy, then I'm screwed."

Betty chuckles at her boyfriend's dramatics, pressing a kiss to his cheek with a smile.

"You never know... It's not over yet."

"Well, in that case, game on, Betty Cooper. Game on..."

#

Finally being called into her appointment, Betty is quick to realise that she has the same nurse and sonographer as her first prenatal appointment.

"It's good to see you again, Elizabeth" Betty's nurse, Mary, greets pleasantly. She is quick to notice the man standing by Betty's side as the young couple walk into the room holding hands. Jughead's presence is a notable difference between Betty's first appointment which she had attended alone and this one.

"So this is dad?"

Betty and Jughead share a glance. They both know that Jughead is going to take on the  _role_  as her baby's dad, but Betty had been proactive in trying to avoid forcing that particular  _title_  on him. She doesn't want to make him feel uncomfortable or pressured, so Betty is grateful when Jughead speaks up and answers her nurses question for himself.

"Yeah, that's me. I'm Jughead."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jughead. So are you two wanting to find out if you'll be buying pink or blue today?"

"Yes" Betty responds, her excited smile radiating brightly as she glances over in Jughead's general direction.

The nurse nods affirmatively, then leading them into the consultation room and preparing the room and equipment for the appointment.

"Alright... In that case, we'll get to that first. I know you'll be able to focus a little better on the other details for the rest of the appointment once you know the answer to the big question for today. So, I'll give you a few minutes to get comfortable and prepare yourself. Let me know when you're ready Elizabeth."

As the trio settles into the room, Jughead is left feeling just a little like a fish out of water. Betty knows the drill as she climbs onto the cold, sterile hospital bed and lifts her sweater -exposing her abdomen that has grown significantly since her last appointment- preparing herself as the nurse prepares the equipment and paperwork for the ultrasound, both preoccupied women unintentionally leaving Jughead standing there awkwardly.

Glancing over to her boyfriend who is shifting uncomfortably with his arms crossed, Betty can sense his discomfort as Jughead struggles with not knowing exactly what to do or where to look in the room. So, seeing the opportunity to help  _him_  just a little for a change, Betty holds her hand out to him, giving Jughead a sense of purpose as he takes her hand in his own, giving it a comforting squeeze to reassure himself as much as her.

When both Betty and the sonographer are ready for the ultrasound, the two teenagers have their eyes intently locked on the small black and white screen by Betty's bedside. When the picture comes into focus, exclamations of awe fill the room.

"Aw! Hi bubba... He or she has grown so much since last time" Betty exclaims, noting how easy it is to recognise different parts of her child, when during her last ultrasound her nurse had to distinguish and point out those very parts to her.

Eyes glowing, she looks up to Jughead to see her boyfriend's reaction. Her smile only increases as she sees his fixation and fascination, his eyes glued to the screen and mouth dropped open as Betty's gaze too returns to the screen and they watch the small form and its movements on the screen.

"Wow, Betts... That's the baby... That's bubba... They're moving! Look! You can see bubba moving!"

Normally, Betty's attention to Jughead is unrivaled. However, with the baby within her on the screen, she turns away from him far sooner than she normally would to continue watching her unborn child and its every little movement.

Jughead's attention too is taken by his girlfriend's child, watching on with fascination and making the most of the moment that goes unrivaled to anything else that he has ever experienced before in his life.

After a few minutes of examining, measuring and recording details, the nurse looks up from her focus between the probe and the monitor screen, the nurse can't help but notice the moment of wonder and amazement between the two teenagers before interrupting.

"Now, if we zoom in just a little closer... Congratulations, it looks like there's one healthy little baby girl on the way."

Betty looks to her daughter on the monitor screen, mouth wide open, before looking over to her boyfriend whose eyes and smile are on her. He only beams more as he watches the tears of happiness fill the mother-to-bes eyes and she looks to him to share her joy.

"A  _girl_ , Juggie... Bubba's a little girl."

As the nurse returns to recording measurements, jotting down levels and taking screenshots of the ultrasound, the two teenagers watch on in captivated silence until a little smirk forms on the corners of Jughead's lips.

"Oh,  _of course_  she's a little girl... How did I miss that? Don't you see her perfect little ponytail there, Betts?" Jughead jokes, pointing approximately to the back of the baby's head on the monitor.

Jughead's comment earns him a little slap in the arm from Betty as she looks up at him with conflicting reactions. Her lips form a tight pout to show that she's not impressed with his comment, but she can't hide the glimmer of a smile in her eyes out of amusement at his comment.

After the moment of amusement passes, Betty's gaze quickly returns to the small monitor, unable to tear her eyes away from her daughter for too long at a time.

"A little girl, Juggie..." Betty repeats, smiling at the black-and-white screen with complete awe and love for the growing white form that looks increasingly more and more like the baby that it is. "That's my little girl."

#

That evening, two very happy and two very in-love teenagers stroll to their special place,  _Pop's,_  for a celebratory dinner.

Little does the couple know that there is a surprise waiting inside for them...

"So, what do you think that bubba's wanting for dinner tonight?"

"Mm. Let me think..."

Betty giggles light-heartedly, despite the fact that she is giving Jughead's question some very serious thought before looking over to him more decisively.

"I think it'll be a vanilla milkshake and cheeseburger for us" she concludes.

Jughead nods his head affirmatively, smiling down to her where she's nestled into his side as they approach the entry together. "No chilli fries?"

" _Well_ , seeing as you're offering..."

Jughead chuckles at Betty's affirmative answer, pressing a kiss to his girlfriend's hair as compensation for the fact that he has to release his hold around her waist in order to hold the door into  _Pop's_  open for her.

Then, once the couple has entered the establishment, they quickly find their place by each other's sides once again, wrapping an arm around each other's waist to keep one another close as they stroll through  _Pop's,_ Betty cradling her baby bump affectionately.

Two faces drop as they see a man on the other side of the diner.

A fresh-from-prison FP Jones walks over to his son and the woman who had been introduced to him as his son's girlfriend months back.

"Dad... You're out."

Jughead's comment doesn't even seem to register to his father, seeing as he can't take his eyes away from where they are glued on one very specific part of Betty's body.

They all know that FP is transfixed by the small, but obvious curve in the typically slender woman's stomach... The curve that Betty is cradling... The curve that is made all that much more noticeable by the material of her clinging sweater that shows off just how five-months-pregnant the teenager is.

"Anything that you want to tell me, son...?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So bubba's a little girl! I hope everyone that thought/wanted it to be a little boy won't be too disappointed. Truth be told, I'd actually planned for Betty to have a little girl and I've had her name chosen from very, very early on in the story and I've had to be really careful not to refer to the baby as 'her' rather than 'they' or 'it'.
> 
> Thank you to my lovely readers who read the last chapter. Little shout-outs to tinnie, BadWolfNovak, BunneyofDoom, Ava and coatlicue. I appreciate the feedback immensely!
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead & Betty disagree over their different opinions on how much of the truth to tell FP.


	18. The Better Man

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Better Man**

" _Anything that you want to tell me, son...?"_

Jughead and Betty share frantic glances with one another at the suddenness of her pregnancy being revealed to her boyfriend's father especially considering that neither of them had even known that FP's release from prison was imminent. Then, as Jughead begins to recover from the shock of the situation, he tightens his hold on Betty's waist a little, keeping her close as close to his side as possible before his gaze returns to his father, answering his question.

"Yeah there is something, dad... Betty's pregnant" Jughead explains, filling his father in on the fun-fact, just in case Betty's five-months-pregnant baby bump that FP can't pull his eyes away from doesn't  _quite_  give that one away obviously enough...

In total silence, FP continues gawking at the couple and the scene in front of him, struggling to process the fact that he has quite literally walked into his teenage son with his pregnant girlfriend.

In the awkward situation, Betty stands on the spot uncomfortably. Despite the fact that she has Jughead's support as he stands by her side, she finds herself cradling and rubbing her baby bump. She's not sure whether  _she_  is trying to protect her unborn baby, or, if her baby is the one that is comforting  _her_.

Meanwhile, Jughead looks between his father and his girlfriend, feeling caught in the middle of the situation, as he watches and waits for his father to react to the news that he is unsurprisingly drawing some pretty strong conclusions about...

"Congratulations" FP eventually states, as if he has  _finally_  broken through the wall of shock that had surrounded him.

The older man takes a few steps towards his son first, leaning in for a proper man-hug as the boys throw their arms around each other squarely and FP lays a slap to Jughead's back. The embrace only lasts a few brief moments before the father and son pull away from each other and then the newly incarcerated man moves towards his son's girlfriend, wrapping her in a far gentler hug.

"And you're keeping the kid?" FP asks as he steps back and pulls away from Betty, returning to his invisible mark in front of them that he had moved away from.

"Yeah... Yeah we are" Jughead replies, answering the question on their behalf as he looks to Betty.

Jughead can clearly  _see_  that his girlfriend is uncomfortable in the exchange but he doesn't raise the issue with her in that moment, deciding to wait until later on to debrief with her. Instead, his glance tears away from Betty and he looks to his dad to watch his reaction.

"Wow... So I'm gonna be a grandfather?"

FP, still looking a little mind-blown, doesn't notice how the pregnant teenager flinches at his question. On the other hand, Jughead  _does_  and he is quick to open his mouth and answer his father's question before Betty does.

"Yeah... It brings a stranger meaning to ' _Pop's'_ , don't you think? Finding out that you're going to be  **a**  Pops  **in** _Pop's_... Well, that's just a tad ironic, isn't it?"

This spiel is Jughead's version of motor-mouthing nervously. His slight diversion about the explanation attempts to take the focus off of the fact itself, shifting the discussion  _away_  from the lie that is tainting the truth of the matter and away from the fact that technically FP is  _not_  set to be a grandfather, not biologically as he assumes that he is.

As silence settles between the trio for just a moment, it gives FP enough time for his sons announcement to register a little more and sink in further. While the older man's first reaction had initially been happiness for his son and the girl that he has found love with, suddenly FP's eyebrows furrow with concern as he realises the logistics and complications of the typically joyous news.

"Hell. You guys are so young..."

Jughead scoffs at his father's obvious remark, the sound infused with a light eye-roll too as FP's own eyes just dilate with panic for the young couple.

"Jughead, can I have a word with you?" a more serious FP asks, receiving a nod from his son.

Before leaving with FP, Jughead quickly whispers to his girlfriend, telling her to find them a seat and telling her that he'll be back in a second before pressing a kiss to her cheek and following his father outside  _Pop's_.

"So when'd you get out?"

"Just this morning... I had a few loose ends to tie up today but I was planning to come over and surprise you tomorrow. But, now I don't know who got the bigger surprise..."

Jughead nods silently in response as the two men come to a standstill, just outside the entrance of  _Pop's_. Looking in through the window, Jughead can see Betty's blonde pony-tail where she has taken a seat at a booth, browsing her phone as she waits for him at their usual table.

"I bet Betty's parents must want your head... How about your mother? Does she know? About Betty, I mean."

"Betty's parents have been surprisingly supportive. As for mum, nope... She wasn't that bothered to talk to  _me_  the last time I called her so I haven't been that bothered with telling her" he tries to remain as icy as he can in he explaining the situation to his father, seeing as Jughead  _knows_  that he still feels a pang of hurt at being turned away by his own mother when he had planned to head to Toledo to visit them,  _after_  she had already taken his sister and shafted their family, leaving Jughead with his father.

After a nod of acknowledgment to Jughead's explanation, a silence settles between the Jones boys as FP begins to recognise the difference between himself and his son; it's a difference and a distinction that he couldn't be gladder to see.

"I'm proud of you, Jughead, for standing by your girl... For trying to make a family work."

"Thanks... Speaking of, I had better go in and get those two some food."

FP just chuckles in response. Jughead's own mother had reflected his son's own appetite during her two pregnancies and FP knows all too well not to keep a pregnant woman from her food.

"Sounds like a plan. Atta boy..."

#

After the brief moment outside with his father, Jughead immediately returns to  _Pop's_  to join his girlfriend inside. Sliding into the booth beside Betty, he instantly sees her concern. He can see it etched into her serious expression and tightly furrowed eyebrows. Guilt taints Betty's expression.

"I feel terrible, Juggie... We need to tell him the truth. I don't want his love for bubba to be based on a lie. He thinks he's going to be a grandfather, Jughead. He actually seemed really excited about the idea. But, biologically he's not... In fact, technically he's no more related to the baby than he is related to me. I just think-"

Betty is interrupted by Jughead's calming " _hey_ " as he places one hand on the side of her face, cupping her chin while his other hand takes its place on her abdomen, gently, yet affectionately, touching her baby bump.

"Now, you see, that's where you're wrong, Betts.  _You're_  my family. You're  _both_  my family. You and bubba..."

A warm smile spreads across Betty's lips. Every single day she reminds herself how lucky she is to have the man sitting beside her and she makes sure she is appreciative, not expecting, of every, single, little thing that he does for her.

"I love you. And yes, you are our family..." she smiles, her hand joining his on her growing baby belly before she leans in and closes the distance between them as their lips meet in a short sweet kiss until she pulls away, a smirk on her face.

"...  _But_ , I do still want you to tell your dad."

#

Jughead had lost.

He'd tried to counter her argument, but in the end, Betty certainly came out on top. After all, nothing could trump that at the end of the day, it is Betty's secret to tell. So, that's why Jughead finds himself outside the front of his father's trailer later that evening, after walking Betty home from their interrupted dinner date at  _Pop's_.

Currently, Jughead is waiting out the uncomfortable seconds between knocking on the door and waiting for it to be answered before the front door of the trailer swings open just second later.

"Wow. Twice in one day. Come on in... So, to what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from my son?"

Jughead momentarily toys with the idea of retorting with some sarcastic comment that he can give his father. But, considering that he doesn't especially want to be there, telling him this, he decides to keep it as brief as possible, letting his fathers question go unanswered.

Entering the trailer, the two Jones men take seats opposite to one another on the old, scratchy lounges. The elder of the two looks expectantly at his son, waiting to see if he should fill the blanks with more small talk or just wait for him to speak, sensing that this isn't just a recreational visit.

Then, taking a deep breath, Jughead runs his hands up and down his thighs. The friction with his palms on his thighs provides him with just a little warmth and comfort that he needs in that moment to help him propel the conversation to where it needs to be; getting to the purpose of the visit he is paying his father.

"Okay... I'll cut to the chase. Betty wanted me to come over and tell you the whole story.  _She_  thought that you deserved to know."

FP looks at his son vaguely. It's as though they are on two completely different wavelengths and as though he's missed a detrimental piece of the puzzle somewhere along the way.

"The whole story...? The whole story about  _what,_ exactly?"

Jughead takes another deep breath, silently cursing the fact that Betty had wanted him to delve into this with his father. Feeling far from comfortable, he sticks to his resolve to keep it short and succinct, cutting to the chase.

Of all the things that Jughead could have said to his father in that moment to fill in the blank of the 'whole story', what Jughead actually says to him seems to have been the least likely...

"I'm not the father of Betty's baby."

The look on FP Jones's face is virtually unreadable, even to his son's keen eye. That would be because his reaction to Jughead's shocking statement has resulted in a cross between anger and confusion. After all, during their brief encounters, Betty Cooper has come across as a very respectable, chaste and honourable young girl to her boyfriend's father. So, FP's assumption doesn't quite fit the mould, nor does it fit in with what he knows about the girl.

"What? You're saying that she cheated on you and you're standing by her?"

His father's reaction is the only affirmation that Jughead needs to hear to know that he and Betty are doing the right thing by keeping the true paternity of her baby to themselves. As soon as people would hear that Jughead is not the father, conclusions would be jumped to, making assumptions that couldn't be further from the truth.

Before answering, Jughead inhales another deep breath as he pushes through the awful sensation of feeling as though he is giving up Betty's secrets, even though he has her approval. In fact, Betty  _wanted_  FP to know. She had given Jughead clear instructions to tell him everything if he needed. She wanted FP to know the truth about the baby that he thought to be his grandchild. After all, the teenager had resolved that the best way to protect her child from the awful truth was for just immediate family know the whole story, rather than taking the risk of building the foundation of her daughter's life on a bunch of lies.

"No... It was nothing like that. Betty has never cheated on me. But, just before we got together, Betty was attacked... She was raped and she fell pregnant as a result of that."

There's an instant change in FP's disposition as soon as Jughead has uttered that little, five-letter word that unleashes waves of anger and grief.

"Oh... bloody hell..." FP exhales, running his hands through his hair simply at the thought of the horrific experience that poor teenage girl -his son's girlfriend- has had to live through. "Do you know who did it? Tell me who the hell did it. Just give me a name and I'll track them down. Tell me who touched her and I'll make sure he doesn't so much as look in her direction again."

"Dad... No. I know it sucks. I know that it's not fair and it's so damn far from just. Trust me, I  _ **know**_. But, Betty doesn't want anyone knowing who it was. And, after she was the one who had to go through that ordeal, who are  _we_  to tell her how she needs to react to that? She's trying to protect the baby."

FP is fuming. Jughead can tell that he's trying to bridle his rage at the injustice of the situation that has come upon the girl who he has a soft spot for. In fact, Jughead  _knows_  how hard his father is trying to harness his outrage over the situation because it is exactly like himself.

So, Jughead presses on with the explanation, recalling what else he needs to say to his father during the course of the visit, going over his mental checklist.

"So, yeah, for what it's worth,  _biologically_ , it's not my kid. That is not common knowledge. Only you, us and her family knows that so we're trying to keep going with the fact that everyone else is just assuming it's mine. Now, I have decided to stand by her and help her raise it... I'm choosing to be her baby's father."

Taking a breath of air at the end of his spiel, Jughead looks up and over to his father who is still clearly trying to control his rage as he processes the sudden influx of news he has been dealt in the last few hours. When FP doesn't respond to what Jughead has just said, he decides to continue speaking and explaining, returning to the checklist of what he needs to tell his father.

"Now, the reason that I'm telling you all of this is because Betty didn't want to disappoint you or mislead you into thinking that you're a grandfather. But, as I said, I have chosen to be her baby's father, so you can be its grandfather - if you want to be. Obviously it's quite unconventional circumstances and you don't have to let us know right away, but we just wanted you to think about whether you'd rather be a grandfather or just FP Jones to the baby."

Only a mere second or two passes by before FP looks to his son, intent with confidence and conviction.

"It's a yes. Yes... Sign me up or whatever it is, but I'd like for her baby to think of me as its grandfather."

A small smile begins to appear through the cracks on the edges of Jughead's lips, the small smile that he can't fight. "Are you sure dad? Because, if you need time to think, that's okay. There's still a few months before the baby arrives and we'd rather you be sure of your decision."

"I don't need time, Jughead. I  _know_  that I want to be a grandfather to the baby you and Betty raise, the baby that I'll think of as my grandson or granddaughter. My stint in prison gave me a lot of time to do a lot of thinking... I don't like the man that I was. Now, I'm working on slowly changing and righting my wrongs and we all know that being a better father, or grandfather in this case, is right up the top of the list."

Jughead's smile is threatened to be exposed just a little more as his father elaborates on his decision, hearing all the words that he had hoped to hear one day, but could never bring himself to believe that he ever would.

"I'm glad to hear it dad... Oh, and  _granddaughter_ , by the way... It's a girl."

"Congratulations" FP responds, a genuine smile spreading across his lips. "Pass that on to Betty too for me, won't you?"

Jughead nods at his father's request. "Will do..."

The room falls to silence and FP watches on as his son gets up from the seat he had taken on one of the lounges, Jughead looking as though he is preparing to leave when the conversation between father and son draws to its natural conclusion. However, before he does leave, FP quickly catches Jughead's attention.

"Jughead... You know what? I was proud of you earlier for seeing you stand by Betty and do the right thing by her and the baby out of responsibility. But, now, knowing that you're standing by her because you  _want_  to, not because you  _have_  to, well... I couldn't be more proud of you, son."

Jughead's half-smile increases just a little, just marginally at his father's words and commendation. However Jughead's exterior is no indicator of what effect FP's words have on him. On the inside, he feels something within him settle, as if a little puzzle piece clicks into place, filling a void that he hadn't even realised was there.

"I love Betty..." Jughead says simply, trying to disguise his smile with a nonchalant shrug.

"Son, you're a better man than me. I'm sorry that I've let our roles get so messed up over the years... I'm sorry that I haven't been the father I should have. I know it's meant to be the other way around, but, there's a lot that I can learn from you."

Finally, Jughead lets himself smile. No longer trying to hide or disguise his reaction, he finally lets his father see the impact that his words have on him, a far better representation than any words that the writer could have scrounged up in that moment.

Peace.

Jughead realises that he  _finally_  feels at peace. Jughead can feel the weight of the world being lifted off of him, replaced with the overwhelming feeling of relief at his new sense of peace...

... He feels at peace hearing his father acknowledge his own shortcomings, accepting his failings that had resulted in his family falling apart.

... He feels at peace hearing his father commend him for the decisions that he had made, that rather than repeat his father's same mistakes. FP had acknowledged that Jughead had learnt from his parents own failings and he had succeeded in not repeating history.

... He feels at peace coming to terms with the fact that his family had fallen to pieces. They were too far gone to come back from that point now. There were too many mistakes that had been made. Too much damage had been done, resulting in too much hurt. It was too late for the fractured Jones family.

Finally, Jughead feels at peace with letting go of that ideal for his own family, in his role as the son. After all, he has a family of his own now; a family to fill those voids that he's finally learnt to let go of. Now, he's got to learn from his father's mistakes as a family head, being there for Betty and the child that they will raise as their own.

At the sudden feeling of relief, Jughead can feel a tear or two prick the corners of his eyes, setting off alarms within him to get out of there as soon as possible, faced with the absolutely mortifying prospect of tearing up in front of his father.

"Thanks... But, at the risk of us becoming anymore Nicholas Sparks-y than we already are, I think that I had better head off now..."

FP just chuckles at his son's comment, head nodding in agreement.

Once again Jughead goes to leave, moving away from the lounge he had been seated on in the living area of the small trailer and heading for the front door before he stops in his tracks, one hand clasped around the door handle as he looks back and over to his father.

"Thanks, dad. I needed to hear that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, another person knows everything now... Do you think that Betty made the right call wanting FP to know the truth? And, will FP find out that it was Chuck? I hope you all liked the little snippet of Bughead earlier in the chapter and the bit of closure for Jughead after his chat with his dad.
> 
> Also, big thanks to BunneyofDoom, BadWolfNovak, tinnie and Anna for reading and reviewing the last chapter!
> 
> Next chapter: Betty makes a realisation about her relationship with Jughead. What has she realised? Then, an innocent situation with their friends blows out of proportion when Betty is triggered by a reminder of her attack...


	19. The One, Okay

**CHAPTER NINETEEN: The One, Okay**

"It was  _phenomenal_... I've never seen anything like it before in my life. I could have watched it all day."

These are the words coming from a familiar voice that Betty Cooper wakes up to on the morning after her ultrasound.

This morning, Jughead had arrived at Betty's early, while she was still fast asleep. Alice and Hal had invited him in, allowing him stay and wait until she wakes up. So, that's how he has found himself currently waiting, planted at the Cooper family's dining table as Betty's father reads the  _New York Times_  beside him and her mother prepares breakfast.

Betty's bedroom door had been left wide-open from the night before. Consequently, with her door typically closed, you can't hear the conversation or noise from downstairs carrying up to her bedroom. However, for some reason, last night Betty had forgotten to close her bedroom door and that is why she's awoken to her boyfriend's words on today of all days.

"The way the baby moved was so incredible. You could see her movements so clearly and distinctively; it was like you could already see her sweet little mannerisms... You could see all her little fingers moving around and the way she shifted when the probe moved closer to her... I could have watched it all day."

Betty doesn't need to  _see_  Jughead Jones's face to  _hear_  the smile in his words.

He's talking about the baby.

 _Her_  baby...

He's talking about Betty's baby that he has volunteered to love as his own when he is not in any way responsible for it and when he is no more related to her daughter than he is to Beyoncé.

Unbeknownst to him, hearing Jughead talk and enthuse about her unborn baby melts Betty's hormonal heart like butter.

He doesn't  _know_  that she's listening to him talk about her baby.  _To his knowledge, Betty is fast asleep._

He doesn't  _need_  to keep up the charade of pretending to be a doting father to a baby that biologically isn't his.  _He's only talking to her parents, who already know the whole truth._

He doesn't  _need_  to be doing or saying any of it, let alone with so much love in his voice as he talks...

... Yet, Jughead  _is_.

"Look, if you see there, that's her legs, one arm and her other arm there. See, it looks like she's waving in his one" as Jughead pauses for just a moment, there's a little chuckle at the end of his words. "The nurse pointed out her nose and her lips there, you see?"

Hearing what he's saying, Betty knows that he's pointing to the ultrasound photos that his eyes had been glued to last night after the ultrasound itself. Listening to what he's telling her parents, she can tell that Jughead sounds so proud. He sounds so proud of her baby and he sounds so proud to tell her mum and dad.

As her heart melts with love and adoration for her boyfriend, Betty's eyes begin to well up with tears of joy as a sudden realisation comes across Betty.

Jughead doesn't love her baby  _because_  he loves her...

No, rather, he loves her baby  _as much as_  he loves her.

After her sudden realisation as she hears his joy and his delight as he talks about her baby, Betty only falls further in love with her boyfriend. In fact, the depth of her love for the man that she could listen to forever only solidifies one resolve and one conclusion for Betty.

... He's the one.

For a solid few months now the young couple have begun trading ' _I love you's_ ' and those three, small words still feel like an inadequate expression of their love for each other. However, more than that, Betty has reached the new conclusion about her relationship and the new realisation about the boy she loves.

She  _knows_  that Jughead Jones is the one for her. In fact, she couldn't be more sure of it...

#

Betty and Jughead had arranged to meet with Archie, Veronica and Kevin at  _Pop's_  later that day in order to share the results of Betty's ultrasound from the day prior with their friends.

"Come on! Please put me out of my misery already. I'm practically  _dying_  to know, girl!" Veronica pleads dramatically from the moment that Betty and Jughead enter  _Pop's,_  coming into sight as they approach their friends booth, hand-in-hand

"Seriously,  _please do_. I might be the one who kills her if she doesn't stop talking about how she's dying to know" Archie adds, eliciting a smirk from Jughead.

Betty chuckles at her friend's excitement and antics as she and Jughead take their seats beside each other, opposite to Kevin and Veronica who are sitting on the other side of the booth. Archie is propped up on the seat over the table next to them, looking over to his friends from where he is leaning over the back of the booth that the two love birds are seated at.

Before saying another word, Betty glances over to Jughead and they share a momentary smile at the final seconds of secrecy; enjoying the final moments of the two of them being the only ones who know the answer to the question their friends are being tormented by.

"Well, you can start buying pink, V..." Betty announces as the smiles on both her and Jughead's lips begin to grow at the eruption of excitement among their friends who are reacting to the prospect of another girl being inducted into their group.

With a squeal of excitement that still manages to sound classy, Veronica rushes out from her side of the booth to wrap her best friend on the other side of the table in a hug. "Aw! Congratulations you two! A little girl..."

"A little Betty, ay? So, when are you planning on buying that shotgun, Juggie? Congrats..." Archie teases, ruffling Jughead's beanie-clad head from where he is leaning over the booth on the other side of the table to where most of the group are seated. Jughead simply rolls his eyes at Archie's joke but he doesn't admit that the red-head  _does_  have a point.

Moving on from his twisted congratulations to one of his friends, a well-meaning Archie moves on to then congratulate the mother-to-be. He snakes his arm around the side of the booth that he is seated at, stretching his hand around to the following booth in order to reach out and playfully touch his best friend's stomach with his open palm, where the couple are currently seated with their backs to the red-head.

"Uncle Archie-" he begins, talking to Betty's stomach. However, before he has a chance to finish, he is cut off as the innocent situation begins to escalate very, very quickly...

Archie's gesture is harmless. If anything, it  _is_  a little invasive, but he feels comfortable enough to do it seeing as it is towards his childhood best friend. However, at the unanticipated touch from the hand that she knows  _doesn't_  belong to Jughead, Betty's entire body tenses up, completely. Her heart instantly races, pounding from within her chest.

The unexpected touch reminds Betty far too much of another instance when she  _hadn't_  authorised someone else's touch and it reminds her of everything that had followed that initial touch and the awful, familiar feeling of being restrained...

Betty's first instinct is to fight off the grasp, before trying to flee and get herself out of that situation. Consequently, one of Betty's hands momentarily clutches at Archie's arm to keep it in place as her nails claw into his skin like talons. Then, she seizes the moment and takes advantage of Archie's complete shock at his friend's response, with Betty's other hand flinging his arm off of and then away from her.

Running on adrenaline, Betty's next reaction is to flee from her booth at the table as her boyfriend and friends continue to watch on in shock. By the time that she has moved about a meter away from the table, it's as if the fact that it was only Archie's hand sinks in and Betty stops on the spot.

While she  _knows_  it was only Archie and not her greatest fear, Betty still can't slow her pounding heart as she continues to stand there, focusing on steadying her erratic breathing while her whole body shakes and shivers, her hairs standing up straight.

Then, after a few moments of silence, Betty's fear turns to fury, with her emotions being heightened in her state of panic.

"Don't touch me! Don't assume that you can just touch me! I  _choose.._. You don't just get to assume! Don't just touch me!"

Archie instantly regrets his innocent gesture after seeing the reaction that it has incited from Betty as she blasts him through her shallow, rasping breaths. She's in tears as she struggles to breathe and manage her feelings.

Quite clearly, Betty appears to be on the verge of having a panic attack.

However, Betty herself feels like she's stuck in an awful delay. She feels like she's just a few seconds too slow, constantly playing catch up.

After her initial reaction, she is quick to come to her senses and realise that the moment isn't as bad as it seems, but it's already too late. She has already clawed Archie off of her, by the the time she realises it's only him and not Chuck. Then by the time the time that she has finished yelling at him, she realises that all he did was make a friendly gesture towards her while she overreacted, letting her fears do the yelling. Once again, by the time that she has come to her senses, it's too late.

Betty's eyes quickly dart between her friends, taking in their shell-shocked expressions, resulting in her own face falling at seeing theirs. Covering her mouth with her hand, Betty stifles the sound of her own cries as she races off, away from her friends and out of  _Pop's_ , letting herself break down and cry once she's out of sight of the diner.

The second that Betty begins to leave, Jughead instantly tries to clamor and climb out from his seat at the booth, standing up to rush after his upset girlfriend.

Having just witnessed the scene that unfolded in front of him, Jughead has a pretty good idea as to which nerve Archie has unknowingly just hit.

However, before Jughead is completely out of the booth, Archie holds a hand out, gesturing for him to stop.

"No, Jug. Let me... I'll go."

Jughead wordlessly nods at his best friend, hesitantly allowing him to resolve the situation that he had caused. Archie doesn't wait a second longer before leaving his own booth, rushing out after Betty.

With the group of five now down to three, Veronica just looks to Jughead across the table, looking for answers.

"Jughead... What on earth is going on?"

#

After leaving  _Pop's_ , Betty walks off just down the road a little so that she is out of sight from the diner's prying windows before collapsing down onto the curb on the side of the road, letting herself regain her composure after her panic attack that had resulted in her blasting Archie.

Quickly spotting the blonde sitting on the curbing, Archie sheepishly approaches her, still feeling guilt-ridden at the reaction that his gesture had elicited from Betty.

As she hears footsteps from behind her, Betty's head jolts around to see who is approaching her. Since her attack, she has found that she's become hypersensitive to small things like following up on footsteps and shadows; small things that she had barely even noticed in the past.

Upon seeing the sheepish red-head, she extends an olive-branch out to him by gesturing to the cement curbing beside her that can act as a seat for him too, indicating that she wants him to join her on the side of the road.

While he lowers himself to sit beside Betty, she is quick to speak as she takes advantage of Archie's momentary hesitation to raise the evident issue.

"Now, before you say anything, please let me say that I am so, so sorry, Archie. I'm sorry for clawing your and I'm sorry for blasting you. I flipped out on you back there and I know that I completely overreacted."

Archie shakes his head profusely as both he and Betty compete in trying to shoulder the blame for Betty's outburst and breakdown in  _Pop's_.

"No, Betty, don't be sorry.  _I_  overstepped. It was inconsiderate of me and I am so sorry. You were right, I  _should_  have asked you. I shouldn't have just assumed that you'd be okay with me touching your belly. If I had of known it would make you feel so uncomfortable, I never would have done it."

Betty sighs, her eyes closing a little as she succumbs to her own embarrassment. She can't blame herself for reacting the way that she did, considering her past. But, now she only feels stupid for the spectacle that had resulted from her reaction.

"It's stupid, Arch. Honestly, I  _am_  okay with that. I mean Jughead touches my belly all the time and V has done it unannounced before, too. I think you just spooked me a little and then I overreacted massively. I'm sorry."

"Don't be" Archie smiles as he holds a hand out to his long-term best friend. Betty takes it and reciprocates his smile as Archie raises them both to stand up again, helping the pregnant blonde up.

As they prepare to return to their friends and their table in  _Pop's_ , they pause before doing so. From where they stand on the curbing they had just been sitting on, the two friends open their arms to each other in a hug of forgiveness.

There's clearly no love lost between the two friends after today.

Then, as they take a few slow steps and begin returning to  _Pop's_ , Archie looks to Betty with concern. There is just  _one_  other thing that Archie needs to do to be able to move past the issue completely.

"Betty?" he pauses, stopping on the spot momentarily as he remembers just how worried about Betty's overreaction he had been when it occurred just minutes earlier.

After all, it was so out-of-character for her and he wasn't about to just dismiss it so nonchalantly.

"Betty? Is everything okay? Are  **you**  okay?"

She genuinely stops and thinks over Archie's question before giving him an answer.

Okay.

 _Is she_  okay?

She  **hadn't**  been.

She hadn't been okay when she had been forced to live through the attack all those months ago; the attack that she had been reminded of this afternoon.

She hadn't been okay when she had to make excuses for every time that she flinched after that night and when she had to downplay every panic attack that she had suffered since then.

She hadn't been okay when she learned that she is carrying her rapist's baby.

She hadn't been okay when Cheryl announced her pregnancy to half of her school.

She hadn't been okay when she was forced to divulge the truth about what happened to her in two separate recounts, firstly to her boyfriend and then to her parents.

... So,  _is she_  okay?

With a smile, Betty feels confident in the integrity of her reply.

"Honestly, Archie? I am now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked that one! It went from such a high with Betty hearing how proudly Juggie was talking about bubba, realising that he's the one, before going downhill so quickly after she was triggered.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has continued to support this story. Your reviews and your messages mean so much to me. I have (and continue to!) loved writing and planning this story and I'm so glad that there's people out there that get enjoyment from my work, too. Thank you!
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead finally feels a kick! Also, Betty struggles with their lie, before she receives a little bit of good news.
> 
> Also, a shameless little plug, but in the last week I also started a new story. Don't worry, it won't impact my updating/writing of this one - there's still so much left to come! However, if you're interested in more Bughead, more fluff and more sad situations for Betty, please check it out. It's called 'What You Left Behind'.


	20. Baby Fever

**CHAPTER TWENTY: Baby Fever**

As the weeks pass by, Betty's pregnancy progresses and she continues to grow as her baby does.

Now at almost six-and-a-half months pregnant, Betty's beginning to feel at risk of exploding  _long_  before reaching full-term. In fact, she's not sure how much more her body can expand before she quite literally pops.

It has taken a long time for the movement from Betty's baby to feel like anything  _other_  than butterflies that were rumbling from within her. However, just over the last few days, she had begun to feel harder, more distinctive kicks and she's feels sure that she can distinguish where and how her daughter is positioned within her.

Despite both Jughead and Veronica's countless attempts at trying to catch a feel of  _any_  movement every time that Betty announces that she can feel her baby moving, neither of them have been able to feel a thing yet. However, they both insist on at least trying each time, but Betty is not all that surprised by their unsuccessful efforts, seeing as it has only been in the last few days that the kicks have felt any harder at all. Consequently, despite both her boyfriend and best friend's initial enthusiasm, after all their failed attempts to feel a single thing, Jughead and Veronica are both beginning to think that they're  _never_  going to feel a kick...

#

It's after school one Thursday afternoon when Jughead and Betty are spending the afternoon hanging out at her Cooper-family's house, enjoying the solid couple of hours of alone-time before her parents are expected home. Jughead is set up at the kitchen bench of her home, typing away furiously on his laptop while Betty cuts up an assortment of fruit to make them a fruit salad.

"What are you writing, mister?" Betty asks, glancing over to her boyfriend as she slides the freshly-cut mango into the larger bowl.

Peering up from his laptop to look at his girlfriend, a little smirk settles on Jughead's lips. "Mm, that's for me to know."

She just rolls her eyes. Quite a lot lately, he's been typing away madly, failing to give her a straight answer when he's probed about what exactly he's working on. Her boyfriend's behaviour has Betty perplexed to say the least and he  _knows_  it. So, she fails to give him the satisfaction of her curiosity, just sending a shrug his way.

Then, placing the chopping board down as she walks away from the kitchen bench to fetch a banana from the fruit bowl, Betty stops in her tracks. She quickly reaches out to hold and clutch onto the kitchen bench, trying to steady herself as she feels an unanticipated impact from within her.

"Betty? Betts... What's wrong?" Jughead asks, his head instantly darting up attentively after hearing her stop walking on the spot. His blood runs cold as he's filled with concern.

However, looking up and seeing the smile on Betty's face after her initial feeling of surprise does the world of good to alleviate Jugead's concerns.

"That was a kick! A  _proper_  kick! Quick, Juggie! Quick! Come over here, give me your hand!"

Jughead flies out of his seat at the island bench, racing around the corner to be by his girlfriend's side. She quickly snatches up his hands, pressing his open palms to her rounding stomach. Then, the couple waits in anticipation, standing there silent and still...

After what feels like an eternity, two faces light up at the same time in reaction to the thumping kick from within Betty's womb.

"Can you feel it, Juggie?! Can you feel that?!" Betty asks, filled with excitement.

The mother-to-be eagerly looks up her boyfriend after posing the question to him. The look of amazement and wonder on Jughead's face adequately answers Betty's question, without him saying a single word.

"She's kicking..." Jughead eventually states with a grin. For a few moments, the teenager feels a little too dumbfounded to expand beyond his initial, obvious comment, feeling struck with awe by the feeling. He's not  _crying_ , but the moment has definitely touched a nerve, having an impact on his emotions as Jughead's blue eyes begin to become glazed.

After a few solid kicks in a row, the movement slowly begins to die down for a couple of minutes. However, both Betty and Jughead continue to stay still and silent, glued to their spots, with their hands smothering her stomach. Then, right when it's starting to seem like the moment is over, Betty's baby launches into round two, more enthusiastic than before. The kicks elicit little gasps of excitement from the two teenagers and Jughead chuckles at the feeling that goes unparalleled to any other.

"Hey bubba..." Jughead says in a low voice, looking down to where both he and Betty's hands are sprawled out over his girlfriend's nearly six-and-a-half-months-pregnant baby belly. "Thanks for finally letting me feel you. For a while there, I thought that you were gonna get stubborn like your mum."

Jughead's light-hearted, teasing comment earns him a swat in the arm along with a poorly-executed attempt at Betty pouting with annoyance that only widens the smile on Jughead's lips. Try as she might, she  _can't_  stay annoyed with her boyfriend -not even a little bit- as he rubs her burgeoning baby belly, while both of them wait for another kick.

"Honestly, I kind of expected feeling a kick to be a bit of a hyped up thing. Cool and all, but a bit overrated. But, this is  _incredible_ , Betts.  _Bubba's_  incredible... She's actually a little person in there, interacting with us. She's more than just a cute little 2D blob on ultrasound pictures."

Betty's smile in the moment is only emphasized as she looks to Jughead, revelling in  _his_  enormous, genuine smile that has been plastered on his lips by her daughter. Once again, she is reminded of his love for her unborn child as much as for her. Then, glancing up at her, Jughead catches her eyes that are filled with love and adoration, looking down at where he's lowered himself a little towards her belly. His open lips purse shut, not sacrificing the smile that just radiates through his beaming eyes and cheeks instead.

Just moments ago, Betty had been the first to look at Jughead and be enraptured by the enormity of his heart, only expanding her love for him. Then, Jughead had seen her own look of love for him, unaware it had been inspired by his own love for her and her baby. Looking at each other, adoring one another, the couple shares each other's smile that says so much more than their words could in that moment.

Although her boyfriend's hands are still pressed to her baby belly, Betty's own hands move away from where they had been pressed to her sweater-clad stomach and relocate to cup Jughead's cheeks in her hands. Then, with her gentle hold, she gently draws his face closer towards hers until their lips meet halfway between one another, uniting in a euphoric kiss to match the moment and the joy they are sharing with each other over feeling Betty's baby's first proper kicks.

When the couple finally musters up enough self-control to pull apart from the kiss, aided by Betty's pregnancy-induced breathlessness, they don't stray too far from one another as they hug. Their heads are nestled into one another's shoulders which is where Jughead whispers the four, simple words into her golden locks, swelling Betty's heart.

"I love my girls."

#

Jughead stays to have dinner with the Coopers that evening. It's something which has slowly been becoming a habit, him joining them more dinner often than he does not. In fact, Alice doesn't even bother checking if he's eating with them or not anymore. Instead, she has fallen into the habit of cooking enough for another person (or three, considering Jughead's appetite) and automatically setting a place for him at the dinner table.

After their dinner of tuna mornay that evening, the young couple has wound up cuddled on the lounge together, watching a TV show that Betty has been binge-watching in her free time as Jughead half-heartedly finishes his reading for tomorrow's chemistry lesson.

As Jughead feels Betty shift a little from beside him, it's only as he glances down at his girlfriend when he notices the reflection of the TV screen in her glazed eyes, where a few tear drops have just fallen; coming from the only illumination in the dark room.

"Betty? Hey, hey, Betts... What's wrong?" he asks softly, instantly putting his textbook down in order to comfort Betty. With one arm wrapped around her, rubbing her back, he pulls her closer into his chest as his other hand strokes her hair.

Looking at her intently, it suddenly becomes quite clear to Jughead that Betty has been crying for far longer than he has noticed, judging by the redness of her eyes and the glint of tears that have already fallen and had time to roll further down her cheeks. His heart sinks over the fact that she had been silently upset to the point of tears and he hadn't even noticed up until then. In short, he feels  _terrible_.

"I'm sorry, Juggie. It's so stupid because I was  _so_  happy earlier today and now look at me, I'm just a crying mess..."

"I believe the term is  _hormones_ , Betts. It's okay... It's normal. You're twenty-five weeks pregnant – you're right on cue. But, has something upset you? Did  _I_  do something?"

Two big, green, damp eyes look up at Jughead, breaking his heart well before her whispered words that follow it have a chance to.

"I wish she was your daughter, too, Jug... I wish that bubba was half of you."

Jughead doesn't admit that more than anything else, he does  _too_. But, instead and in response to her words and her upset, he just holds her closer and tighter, pressing comforting kisses into her hair.

Most of the time, it's easy to ignore. It's  _easy_  for Jughead to fall into playing happy families with Betty, acting as if their circumstances are normal. It's only occasionally, when everything stops or slows down and it's only in some of the quiet moments when he's forced to remember the truth; that try as he might to fill that slot as the father of Betty's daughter,  _he's not_. He never will be, at least not in the full sense of the word. That baby will never be  _his_  instead of  _Chuck's_.

It doesn't change his resolve to raise her with Betty. It doesn't lessen his love for bubba. But, he knows what Betty means. Like her, he just  _wishes_  that it was different...

"I know, Betts.  _I_   _know_... But, in every way that counts, she  **is**  my daughter. You know that."

Betty sniffles into her boyfriend's chest, his words apparently doing nothing for her hormonal, pregnancy-induced emotions.

"Jug, you're amazing to be doing what you are for us. But, you're  _not_  her father and that fact is always going to haunt me, haunt  _us_. I don't like lying to our friends and I don't like having to keep something so enormous from them."

"Do you want to tell the others everything, Betts? Is that what you're saying?"

"No..." she says in a low wail. "It makes it easier to forget the truth..."

Betty sighs, swiping her reddened eye with the sleeve of her sweater, doubting herself as she continues on to second-guess her initial answer.

"But, then again, we're not going to be able to keep the truth from them forever. Everyone, not just our friends, will start realising that things don't quite add up after she's born. So, I don't know... While I want V and Archie to be used to the idea and accepting of you being bubba's dad, they still deserve to know the truth. They're our  _friends_... I just don't know what to do, Juggie."

"How about we try and keep the act up for as long as we can. Then, just before you're due, we sit down and tell them that she's not biologically mine. That way they'll know the truth, but they'll have considered her as being  _ours_  for so long that when she's born, it shouldn't be that hard for them to accept that she  _is_ still ours, but there's just a little more to the story."

After a long silence, Betty snuggles a little deeper into her boyfriend's side. He can feel her hesitant head-nod against his chest in response to his proposal as a compromise between the rock and the hard place that they are stuck between.

"I know that none of this is ideal, Betts. I know that our circumstances are bound to make things harder. But, we're going to make this work. It doesn't matter if she's my daughter, it doesn't matter if there's technically a 'step' in front of that word and it doesn't matter who knows it. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter because we're a family... The three of us are our own little family.  _That's_ what matters."

This time, the little tears that are threatening Betty's eyes are tears of happiness, rather than tears of upset.

"We're a  _family_..." she repeats his words that have an enormously positive impact on her as a smile begins and then spreads across her lips at his reassurances that cause her to dissolve into his arms, into his comfort.

With Betty now significantly calmed down from her upset state, the couple returns to cuddling as they turn their attention to watching the show together that had been playing in the background, just until  _another_  distraction arises...

The next distraction proves to be Betty's parents as Hal and Alice seem to suddenly emerge into the doorway of the lounge room.

At the sudden presence of the elder Cooper's, Jughead instantly creates some distance between himself and their daughter, lessening the embrace that they had been entangled in while they were alone. Then, looking to the her parents, both teenagers are quick to read the smile on Betty's mother's face along with a more curious, unreadable expression on her father's.

"Polly just called... The twins were born tonight! She had a little boy and a little girl..."

Although she had been in tears just minutes earlier, Betty instantly erupts with joy at her older sister's news and Jughead can't hide his smile at seeing her excitement, prompting him to whisper to his girlfriend who is nestled beside him:

"Congratulations, Aunty Betts."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there quite a few of you that were looking forward to Jughead feeling a kick, so I hope you liked that. But, reality hit for poor, hormonal Betty who's still struggling with her baby's paternity. Also, does anyone have any idea what Jughead could be possibly working on writing?
> 
> Thank you so much to tinnie, MotherMaple and BadWolfNovak for commenting on the last chapter. Also, thanks to everyone who has followed onto my new story and read/commented on 'What You Left Behind', too. I hope you all continue to enjoy both stories.
> 
> Next chapter: It's the calm before the coming storm... Jughead joins the Cooper family to visit Polly and her babies, feeling paranoid that he's being assessed by Mama Coop.


	21. Signs Of Things To Come

**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: Signs Of Things To Come**

After nine, long months and with no man by her side to hold her hand, Polly Cooper gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and a beautiful baby girl...

Blossom and Jace Cooper; a pigeon pair of twins, just the same as the generation preceding them.

While the new mother decided that she did not want her children to carry the tarnished and shamed Blossom family surname, the father of her children was clearly in the front of Polly's mind when choosing her twins names, choosing to posthumously pay homage to him in a sense. Polly had chosen Jace's name as a nickname of his father's name and, although she didn't want her children to carry the Blossom family name, Jason was still irrefutably a Blossom, leading to her choice for her daughter's name.

Not long after the Blossom family imploded with Clifford's suicide following Jason's killer being revealed, Polly had moved away to Maine for the fresh start that she and her twins so desperately needed in the lead up to their impending arrival. As Alice's sister and her family live in Maine, it had been the obvious choice for Polly when her aunt had offered for her to live in a small granny flat out the back of her own family's property, paying next to nothing in rent.

Seeing as the new mother had made the move to Maine just months before the birth of her babies, the Cooper family -along with Jughead- had made the trip to visit the new additions just days after their birth. This is what brings four people -two couples- who are waiting on the other side of the door that they have just knocked on to Maine.

A good half a minute later, Polly comes rushing to the door with excitement as she greets her family.

"Come in! Come in!"

Betty's parents are the first to congratulate their eldest daughter, followed by Betty who launches into her older sister's arms.

"Congratulations Pol! I've been dying to meet your little babies! I've missed you back at home."

"Thanks, Betty... Look at how much  _you've_  popped since I last saw you!"

As the two girls pull away from each other once Betty has finally finished hugging and congratulating her sister, Jughead is the last in line to embrace his girlfriend's sister.

"Congratulations Polly..." Jughead congratulates awkwardly, unsure of whether to go in for a hug or not.

In his moment of hesitance from where he's standing in front of Polly, Jughead steps from foot-to-foot indecisively, before the more outgoing of the two makes the decision for them, going in to hug the man who could very well be her brother-in-law one day.

"Thanks Jughead... Now come on in guys" Polly beams and bubbles radiantly. "There are a couple of little people I want you to meet..."

Motherhood quite clearly suits the young girl, even in spite of the dark bags under her eyes which are hardly surprising as she tackles motherhood and her two babies all on her own.

As Polly leads her family through the small flat and into the little lounge room, she directs them to wait for a moment and take a seat. Seeing as Polly only has one two-seater lounge and another recliner, Hal and Jughead stay standing either side of the lounge, beside their women, as both the mother and daughter take the love-seat. Honestly, the sight of the girls sitting together with their partners either side of them would make for quite a corny, awkward family photo.

While the others are distracted by the seating arrangement as they talk among themselves, Polly races off and fetches the first of her twins, returning to the lounge room holding her daughter with great pride.

At the sight of the little pink bundle in her daughter's arms, Alice bounds up from her seat on the lounge, arms open wide to take her grandchild.

"So this is Blossom..." Polly proudly introduces as she transfers her newborn daughter to her mother's arms, taking a moment to absorb her family's happiness and coos over her baby.

_"Look at her little tufts of red hair..." "What about those lips..." "She's just beautiful..."_

Then, after managing to tear herself away, Polly leaves the room once again before she returns just moments later, this time holding her son.

"... And this is Jace" Polly beams just as proudly as she introduces her son to her family with the attention momentarily being stolen away from his twin sister.

Seeing the excitement on her younger sister's face, Polly hands her son to Betty with a knowing smile. "Here, get a bit of practice in..."

Betty can't wipe the smile off her face as she holds her nephew, cuddling Jace from where he is bundled within his warm, blue blankets. She can't refrain from gently dipping her finger against his cheek, stroking his soft, fragrant, newborn skin.

"Aw, look at him Juggie..."

"He's cute. It suits you, Betts" Jughead smirks, leaning down to whisper the comment in his girlfriend's ear. "Not long now and it'll be bubba that you're holding..."

Betty smiles, a slight flush of colour spreading across her cheeks from her boyfriend's comment. Her gaze is momentarily stolen away from her newborn nephew as she looks up to Jughead and then over to her sister. "I think Jace looks like you, Pol."

Polly can't hide her smile at her sister's comment and she couldn't be more delighted to have her son being likened to her in appearance. Betty's comment sparks a flurry of agreement between her parents, only furthering the smile on the new mother's lips.

"Really? You think so? I wasn't too sure who he reminds me more of... But I do see a lot of Jason, and especially Cheryl, in Blossom."

After a few minutes, Alice proposes a swap, saying she wants to have a hold of her grandson. However, before Betty swaps with her mother and takes her niece, she looks over to her boyfriend, glancing over to where he's standing beside her, next to the lounge and towering over her.

"Would  _you_  like a hold, Juggie?"

Initially, a look of hesitance floods across the teenagers face. He hasn't held a baby in years, not since his younger sister was born, but Jughead knows that he needs all the practice that he can get considering that he's going to be someone's dad in a little under three months.

"Okay..." Jughead replies coyly. However, his nervousness even in his single-word reply doesn't go unnoticed by his girlfriend. So, she gives him the silent smile of reassurance that he needs to see as Jughead takes Baby Blossom from Alice, before Betty passes Jace over to her own mother to fill the grandchild void in her arms.

Watching her boyfriend shift her niece within his arms melts Betty's heart, so much so she can feel her insides growing warm and fuzzy at watching the scene in front of her.

In that moment, she can see it. She can see it now... She can see him with her own daughter, the baby girl that they will raise as theirs. And, Betty positively  _adores_  the visual in front of her.

As Jughead shifts Blossom into a slightly more comfortable hold for both of them, he can't help the little chuckle that he elicits as he begins to relax, feeling little Blossom nestle into him.

"And you thought it suited  _me_..." Betty smiles to her boyfriend who just shoots her a knowing smirk, in reference to his own comment that he had made just moments earlier when she had been holding her newborn nephew.

The room falls to silence apart from the occasional coo over how sweetly Jace yawns or how relaxed Blossom is with Jughead.

Then, as Jughead looks over to Betty, beginning to speak in a low whisper, she is quick to note that apparently  _she_  isn't the only one who's thinking about her daughter in the company of the newborn babies...

"So Blossom and Jace will be bubba's cousins, right? It'll be nice for them growing up together, being so close in age."

Betty nods her head in confirmation of both Jughead's question and then in acknowledgement of his comment. Soon after learning that she was pregnant, that is one factor that Betty had thought about too, knowing there'd only be a few short months age difference between her baby and Polly's twins. In fact, Polly's children will be around just three months older than their cousin, Betty's unborn daughter.

After Jughead's question to Betty, the room falls to a calm silence once again as Alice hands Hal their grandson, Polly watches her family with her twins and Betty gazes adoringly as Jughead holds her niece. However, the silence doesn't last long as Alice all but claps her hands together, making it clear that she's giving an announcement, along with a plan of attack, regarding the rest of the visit.

"Alright. Elizabeth, take your sister out. She deserves a bit of baby-free time. Jug-head, although I'm beginning to think that you're super-glued to my daughter, you're staying here with us."

As he risks a glance over to Betty, she can see the instantaneous panic in her boyfriend's eyes at the prospect of being left with her parents and a set of newborn twins. After all, Jughead feels like he's been landed with a surprise test, wishing that there was some way that he could have known to prepare more for it in advance...

Jughead is  _sure_  that he is about to be assessed on his parenting skills and abilities by Betty's mother once his girlfriend and her sister, the babies' mother, are gone. Then, after the hours that follow, he is certain that he will be given feedback, a grade, a rating out of ten, or at least, he'll be given just a pass or fail...

#

Within barely ten minutes of the girls leaving, Jace is crying his steady, little cries as his grandfather walks around the room, gently patting his back to try and soothe the newborn.

"So, Jug-head, what do you think is wrong? What's upsetting him?"

"I don't know! Is he hungry?! Baby's like food, right?!" Jughead response is frantic as he glances back and forth over to the upset baby in question, hoping that he'll somehow communicate some sign towards him or give some indication as to what is wrong.

Alice smiles at the anxiety on the face of her daughter's boyfriend. "What's wrong? It's just a question. It's not like it's a test..."

Jughead holds back his sigh of relief, looking over to his girlfriend's mother apprehensively, seeing that he had misinterpreted the situation far more anxiously than need be. "It's  _not_?"

"No... I only suggested you stay to give the girls some time together. Why?  _Should it_ be a test?" Alice raises an eyebrow that has Jughead going from relieved to shaking in his boots all over again within 0.2 seconds.

"No, no! I'm fine with it not being a test..."

Alice nods, chuckling a little as she lightly jokes to the young man that she can tell is feeling highly-strung in this moment, after being left with his potential in-laws and newborn twins.

"Alright, Jug-head... I'm not too sure whether I should be offended by how terrified of me you seem to be..."

"Oh! I'm not afraid of you" Jughead quickly retorts, panicking once again for a different reason as he unintentionally overcompensates for Alice's suspicions that happen to be fairly close to the truth. Betty's mother really  _does_  terrify him, from one extreme to the other and he loses any sense of humour, only interpreting her every word as a lecture or warning.

"Don't stress so much... I like you. Trust me, you would not be in my daughter's life anywhere near as much as you are if I  _didn't_  like you."

Jughead cracks a coy smile at the olive branch that his girlfriend's mother seems to be extending to him.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cooper."

... Jughead decides  _against_  verbalising his ' _I think_ '.

#

After leaving their parents, Betty's boyfriend and Polly's babies alone together, the two sisters head for a nearby park and find themselves lying side-by-side on the grass, underneath the light foliage of trees as they look up to the sky, just as they had done so many times as children.

"So... how are you  _really_?" Betty asks, her head tilting to look over to her sister. She knows that she'll be able to  _tell_  the truth, even if she doesn't  _say_  the truth.

"Honestly, I'm exhausted. I love my babies, but I'm just exhausted.  _All_  of the time."

Betty nods, listening intently to her sister's words.

"It'll get easier... Give it a bit of time and I'm sure you'll get into a better routine with them. I'm  _sure_  it'll get easier. But, are you happy, Pol?"

Polly looks over to her sister with a smile, the two girls looking at each other as they lay side-by-side on the fresh, green blades of grass.

"It's hard. It's exhausting looking after the twins and I still miss Jason so much. Almost every hour I can still feel myself getting sad when I'm reminded of the fact that he'll never meet them and they'll never know him. But, I  **am**  happy. I wouldn't change raising my babies for the world. I'm happy with my life."

Sharing her sister's genuine smile with her own, Betty is glad to hear that her sister is happy. After months of pain, months of heartbreak and months of trauma, Polly deserves the world. But, in the very least, she deserves just that... She deserves to be  _happy_.

"So... How are  _you_ , really?" Polly asks repeating the very same question that he sister had posed to her just minutes earlier.

"I'm okay... Now. For a while there, things were really rough and really hard and I couldn't see the light beyond the darkness. But, I'm getting there... I'm learning to accept what happened to me and just face the future knowing I can't change what happened, only look forward... Jughead has just been amazing through this, though. I don't think I could do any of it without him."

"You could. But I'm glad you don't have to" Polly reassures her younger sister convincingly with a quick squeeze of her hands, before changing course of the conversation just a little. "Speaking of Jughead, didn't he look cute with Bloss earlier, though? Oh, my ovaries!"

Betty chuckles at her sister's dramatics, gently nudging Polly's side with her elbow. "Sorry to say, but he's taken, Pol..."

Polly giggles at her sister's humorous quip, before Betty continues to speak, sans the humour.

"Seriously though, I know what you mean. I think that he is going to be such a good father. Honestly, I have to pinch myself every morning to believe that this is my life, to believe what he's willing to do for me... for us..." Betty smiles, pressing a loving hand to her growing baby belly.

"He's a keeper, Betty... But, you deserve nothing less, little sis."

The girls look to each other, sharing a genuine smile, happy for each other's happiness. Until Betty breaks the moment a few minutes later as her face scrunches up a little, preparing to ask her sister about another question that had been playing on her mind.

"So... How awful is labour really, Pol? It's really just a walk in the park, right? Please tell me it's all just dramatised, made to sound a hundred times worse than it is?"

Polly laughs hysterically and knowingly, at her younger sister's question, only increasing the grimace on her Betty's face. "Oh no...  _That_  bad... Really?"

"Well, considering it's a bit late for you to have any choice in the matter, how about we just compare stories in a few months time, rather than me striking anymore fear in your heart? Just count your blessings that you're giving birth to  _half_ the number of babies as me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one was definitely on the fluffier side - enjoy it while it lasts... Starting from the next chapter, things are headed for a downward spiral...
> 
> Thank you to tinnie and MotherMaple for commenting on the last chapter!
> 
> Next chapter: After months of holding himself back, Jughead finally snaps when Chuck pushes him to the limit.


	22. Vengeance

**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: Vengeance**

_'What goes around comes around''... 'Karma' ... 'An eye for an eye'..._

Different terms, all for the very same thing.

 _Revenge_...

Some people believe in it, some people hope for it and some people believe that injustices are never fully repaid.

However, Chuck Clayton is oblivious to the fact that he is in line for it, about to get just a little taste of his own medicine very, very soon...

#

It's first thing on a Saturday morning.

Jughead is planning to buy breakfast-to-go from  _Pop's_ to take back to Betty. However, he's not the only one with the same idea of getting  _Pop's_  for breakfast, and a certain African-American jock is currently leaving the very same diner, having just downed a high-protein meal of bacon and eggs. As Jughead approaches the diner, walking across the parking lot with his head down, Chuck catches sight of Jughead first. Seeing his beanie-clad fellow student instantly spreads a huge smirk across his full lips.

When Jughead's eyes are eventually lifted from the ground where his focus is turned, he instantly catches sight of his enemy up in front of him, along with the smirk that is plastered on his face. The sight instantly elicits a sigh from Jughead as his eyes return down to the ground, as if hoping that ignoring him will just make him go away.

As the two boys who are walking in two different directions finally cross paths in the middle of the  _Pop's_  car park, Jughead prepares to ignore Chuck and continue walking straight on past him. Chuck, however, has different plans. It's as if he waits to see if his fellow student says or does anything first and it's only after they've passed each other in the car park when Chuck stops on the spot, turning to face the back of Jughead as he continues to walk towards the diner with concentration.

It's  _then_  when Chuck stops to rile up the other man who hadn't stopped to bite, as much as he wanted to.

"So, how's playing happy families going for you? I sure hope that it's fixing some of your deep-seated daddy issues and giving you a warped sense of fulfillment by playing happy families with someone else's kid."

Once Chuck finishes speaking, concluding his very deliberate and very calculated taunt towards the other man, the words cause Jughead to stop on the spot. He doesn't walk any further towards  _Pop's_  as he turns back to face the smirking man who has just spoken instead.

After the last time that Betty spoke to Chuck, when he had cornered her by her locker, she had told Jughead that she thought that the jock had worked out the truth behind her baby's paternity. Now, Chuck's words only seem to confirm that suspicion. But, just like Betty hadn't, Jughead too refuses to give the other man any confirmation of his suspicions, working to uphold his and Betty's lie.

" _What_  did you say?"

Jughead's words aren't a question. Rather, they are a dare.

"Nothing... Smug-head" Chuck jibes, the smirk on his face only intensifying at seeing the snarl that his initial taunt had elicited from his fellow student.

Looking at each other across the car park, the two teenagers share an intense eye-lock; neither of them backing down during the wordless exchange of glares. While Jughead does nothing to hide his anger, Chuck does nothing to hide his arrogance.

Then, it's just as Chuck takes a step closer towards Jughead when the beanie-clad man remembers the promise he made to his girlfriend; the promise he had made to her that he wouldn't touch her rapist, as much as he deserved that and so much more. After all, both he and Betty knew that Jughead would be the one who would fare worse, seeing as Sherriff Keller is on the lookout for anything to trip Jughead up with.

So, Jughead leaves it, turning back around towards the diner as he keeps on walking.

However, Chuck doesn't quite settle for game-over quite as willingly. No, instead he decides to try and stir the pot once more before he surrenders to Jughead's white flag.

"Your perfect, little, happy-family façade is fitting, really. After all, it's just as  _fake_  as every other front in Betty's life..."

Just the mention of his girlfriend's name is enough to make Jughead stop in his tracks once again, turning back around to face the cocky African-American. He can feel his blood beginning to boil from within him...

After all, Chuck Clayton can say whatever the hell he wants about  _him_. But, pulling Betty into it, after what he did to her, now  _that_  can't go ignored.

"If you ever say anything even slightly degrading about Betty again, let alone if you ever dare to say so much as her  _name_  again, I'll..."

Chuck interrupts Jughead's threatening pause, the smirk on his face only intensifying.

"You'll what, keyboard-warrior? Write me out of your story? What would you possibly-"

Chuck is mid-sentence when Jughead takes advantage of the element of surprise, shoving his forearm to Chuck's chest. Then, heonly gains momentum as the muscular man stumbles back a little to stop himself from falling with little choice in stopping himself or not as Jughead pushes him towards and rams him back up against the wall.

Although Jughead is in the better position for the altercation at present, Jughead has never been known for his physique or his athletic abilities. Looking down on the smaller man, Chuck doesn't let round one sway his confidence. He  _knows_  that he can beat Jughead, hands down, using his bare hands alone. So, instead he tries to take something else away from the other man as he tries to bring down Jughead with his own strength; words.

"Wow. I never realised what a great match you and Betty really are..."

A little clueless, Jughead looks to his peer as if waiting for him to fill in the blanks and expand on his last statement. To go along with his expression, Jughead presses the bone in his forearm into the other man's chest a little deeper, coercing Chuck to continue speaking.

"...  _Because_ , I didn't know how violent you could be, Jughead. And, after all, you and I both know that Betty likes it rough...  _Right_ , Jug?"

Instantly, Jughead sees red.

He is completely outraged by Chuck's lewd and degrading comment regarding his girlfriend, especially after the way that he has hurt Betty. In fact, Jughead is almost certain that he can feel his blood reach boiling point as Chuck's disgusting insinuations  _finally_  tip Jughead over the edge...

After months of pent-up anger, months of injustice and months of holding himself back because he had made a promise to Betty, Jughead finally releases everything that he held himself back from unleashing against his classmate, the biological father of his girlfriend's child.

Consequently, after Jughead throws the first punch, four fists are quick to fly back and forth, both men successful in hitting the other, along with patterned shoves to and fro and a particularly hard knee into Jughead's side.

There is no holding back...

Well, not until Jughead, is easily pulled off of the jock in an unexpected, swift move as someone else utilizes the element of surprise to tug him off of Chuck in the same manner that Jughead had initially swooped in on Chuck just minutes earlier.

Jughead fights back against the person breaking the fight up, his arms flailing around and showing no result, until the interrupter speaks up and the familiar voice instantly ceases Jughead's resistance.

"Cut it out, Jughead! Cut it out!"

"Dad?!"

Giving up the fight against the arms that he now knows to be his father's that are holding him back and stopping him from fighting, Jughead looks between FP and the man that he had been swinging his fists at just moments ago. He wants to keep swinging the punches that Chuck deserves, but with his dad pulling him back, there's more than just a physical hindrance that is stopping him from going back for round two, with his father's presence almost acting as a magnet that pulls him away.

"What the hell are you doing, Jughead?! Think about that girl of yours, think about that baby before you do anything else that you'll regret" FP hisses warningly.

Jughead is still tense from his adrenaline rush, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he sends a glare Chuck's way. Before that point, Jughead hadn't even noticed how Joaquin is standing next to Chuck against the wall, talking down the angered, bloodied jock, as he tries to downplay the fight and persuade him to keep it between the boys.

Turning back towards his father, Jughead's entire body is tense as he growls in answer to his father, through gritted teeth.

"I  _am_  thinking about Betty. He did it, dad.  _He_  was the person who raped her. And, then he had the nerve to make lewd comments degrading her..."

Listening to his son, FP's disposition immediately begins to change. He had been calm, but agitated, by his son's violence, especially considering it's the second time FP has had to break up a fight between the same two boys. However, as soon as Jughead explains the reason behind the fist-fight, there is an instant change in FP's disposition. Jughead's father grows tense, his eyes becoming serious as they fix on the African-American as he assesses the damage already done to the man by his son.

Watching FP's reaction, Jughead can see the change in his father and he can almost see the steam beginning to pour out of his ears. However, FP's anger is calm and it is calculated. While, Jughead has seen his father fly off the handle countless times in the past, this display of fury is possibly even more terrifying...

"Get out of here, Jughead. Go be with your girl" FP's voice is calm and in fact it's a little soft as he directs his son to leave.

Jughead hesitates. He's still trying to read his father's anger and he's trying to predict what he will do next. However, his hesitation and delay results in FP's fury blazing towards him for just a moment.

"I said, GET THE HELL  _OUTTA HERE_."

Jughead quickly looks over his father, seeing his clenched fists, his squared jaw and his evident fury before obeying his firm command. Then, Jughead steals a glance over in Chuck's direction, seeing the other man's bloodied and bruised face, courtesy of him.

As he heeds his father's direction to leave and as he begins to walk off, Jughead's desire for breakfast from  _Pop's_  suddenly dies off after the altercation. Instead of his original purpose, he changes course, walking off in the direction that he came from earlier.

Looking back one more time, Jughead only sees his father and his clenched-fist as he slowly approaches the wall of  _Pop's_  diner where Chuck and Joaquin have not moved away from in that time. Then, as he turns back and focuses on his own path, heading for his girlfriend's home, Jughead barely even hears his father's voice and his command to his lackey.

"Joaquin... Go grab the truck."

#

As soon as Betty opens the front door to her boyfriend, she releases a gasp. Instantly her stomach drops as she notes the black-eye that her boyfriend is sporting, which hadn't been there yesterday.

"Oh my gosh, Juggie! What happened?!"

Betty's hands immediately fly up to meet Jughead's face, gently cupping his head in her hands as she tries to survey the damage and study her boyfriend's injuries.

"Who did this to you?!"

Removing her hands from where they are cupped around his jaw and cheeks, Jughead brushes Betty's embrace off, avoiding looking her in the eye as he slinks straight past her, cowardly.

"I walked into a door, but you should see the door."

As she remains on the spot where Jughead had moved her hands off of him, Betty rolls her eyes at her boyfriend's sarcastic comment, knowing full-well that he is quite clearly dodging the question. So,watching him intently as he slinks through the hallway, Betty crosses her arms to show him  _just_  how happy she is about his avoidance of the obvious.

When he finally glances back in her direction, a little smile ripples across Jughead's lips as he takes her in, despite the fact that his head is throbbing and despite the fact that his girlfriend is standing there looking cross with him. Betty's baby bump is on full-display in her denim overalls, only being enhanced by the fact that her crossed arms are resting atop the growing swell of her stomach, too. In conjunction with her outfit, Betty's hair is thrown up into a less-polished up-do, with little tufts of golden hair framing her face.

"You look cute..."

Betty's cross pout only intensifies as she interprets Jughead's genuine compliment as another distraction, thinking it's him trying to dodge the truth once again.

"Jughead..." Betty says, imploring her boyfriend seriously, with a warning tone to her voice. " _Tell me_  what happened."

Covering his tender face with his hand, Jughead releases a sigh, feeling lodged between a rock and a hard place. He wants to be honest with his girlfriend, he  _needs_  to be, but he also knows that the truth will only upset Betty at both the mention of Chuck and the fact that he had broken his promise to her.

He knows that he needs to tell her. He knows that if two teenagers have any hope of trying to make a success of their relationship under adult circumstances, then they  _both_  need to be open and honest with each other, as hard as that might be. So, he takes a deep breath and tells Betty the hard truth...

"Chuck happened...  _That's_  what happened."

Betty stays completely still. It's as if she's frozen to the spot, but her cross expression, her crossed arms and her pout all remain intact. "Who started it, Jughead?"

Jughead releases another sigh, knowing that Betty's not going to like the answer to her own question.

" _I_  threw the first punch... I couldn't stop myself, Betty. I know that he was baiting me and I know that it worked, but I couldn't leave it be. Not after what he said about you."

"What did he say about me?"

There's insecurity in Betty's voice as she utters the words. Glancing up at his girlfriend only solidifies how he thinks that she's feeling as he catches sight of her big, green eyes that look fearful.

"I can't repeat it, Betts. I'm still furious. In fact, Chuck's lucky that my dad swooped in and broke up the fight when he did and he's lucky that he just came out of it with a matching black eye, a bloodied nose and a headache that he'll wake up to tomorrow. I could have done so much worse to him... I  _wanted_  to do so much worse."

From where her gaze is cast down to the ground, Betty's toes that she can barely see beneath her growing baby belly run across the floorboard that she's standing on, while her big toe draws rough swirls atop the polished wood.

"I want to know what Chuck said about me, Juggie..."

Jughead sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he is again backed between that same rock and hard place.

"I can't say it, Betty. I  _cannot_  say those words. But, basically the scumbag just tried to make a joke out of what he did to you."

Betty inhales a sharp breath of air at the unanticipated answer. Her stomach churns in disgust as she wraps her arms around herself and around her baby belly at the details of her boyfriend's run-in with her fellow classmate who had raped her earlier in the year.

She feels sick to her stomach at hearing that not only has Chuck not backed down, nor has he ever apologised, but more than that, it seems as though he is anything but remorseful to be able to make light of what he had done to her in the exchange between the two of them that they both know was far from consensual... Betty fights against the tears that are beginning to well up in her eyes at the harsh reminder that it is all just one, big joke to her fellow classmate, all at the cost of her pain. Consequently, as Betty sniffles and tries to distract herself, she comes down hard on Jughead instead.

"You  _promised me_ , Jughead."

The raw disappointment in Betty's words triggers Jughead's eyes to rise to meet hers. He feels terrible. But, while he feels terrible for disappointing her, he is unapologetic for standing up for her and defending his girlfriend against Chuck Clayton's disrespectful taunts.

"I know I did... Look, I'm so sorry Betts, but-"

Betty is prompt to cut his apology off, as her arms that are crossed in front of her only tighten further.

"Did it change what he did? No.  _It didn't_. But what if Chuck goes to the police? What if he tells Sherriff Keller what he's just waiting to hear about you and he pounces on it? What if a witness or passer-by is happy to support Chuck's statement?"

Jughead knows that Betty's questions are rhetorical as she only reinforces her point of how he had only done more harm than good by fighting Chuck. So, he remains solemn and silent as Betty continues speaking.

"You promised me that you would keep your hands off of him. You broke your promise, Jughead... Now, I appreciate that you were trying to defend me, but what good is it if you've just let Chuck win? How are you supposed to protect me and how are you supposed to protect bubba if you're in jail?"

With yet another sigh, Jughead takes a few steps towards Betty, trying to bridge the gap between them. However, it only triggers her to shake her head and take a step backwards too, keeping the distance between them.

"Just let me just get you some ice for your eye, but then I'd like you to leave. Thank you, Jughead, but it's a little too late for honesty."

#

As Joaquin draws the truck to a stop on a lone, isolated, dirt road in the Southside, FP opens the car door from where he is seated in the back of his own vehicle, along with a certain jock.

Shoving Chuck out of the backseat, the younger man is significantly more bloodied and bruised than he had been after Jughead was pulled off of him, with FP finishing off the job that his son had started to teach the scumbag who had hurt Betty a lesson.

Stumbling out of the backseat of the truck, Chuck slowly finds his feet, a little dazed by this point.

"Think of this as a warning. If you dare hurt Betty -or any other girl- ever again, you'll be begging me to be this kind to you. Same goes for if you ever even  _think_ about going near her, my son or my grandchild. This is just a warning of how far I can take it when I'm being  _nice_."

Giving the bloodied, bruised and dazed teenager a final once-over, making sure he's done enough damage for him to learn his lesson, without leaving him quite for dead, FP clamors back into his truck, giving Chuck one final threat.

"Find your own way home, kid. And, don't forget what I said. If you so much as go near Jughead, Betty or that baby, you'll learn the hard way that Serpents don't give second chances."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked that one! I'm interested in your thoughts on the Jug v. Chuck fight. Although it's not nearly as much as he deserves, at least Chuck is finally get a slight taste of his own medicine. Now FP knows who the real father of Betty & Juggie's baby is, too. Who'll be next to learn the whole story?! Also, although it was done with the best intentions, will things bounce back for he and Betty after Jughead broke his promise to her?
> 
> Thank you to BadWolfNovak, MotherMaple, tinnie and basquiatsqueen for leaving a review on the last chapter.
> 
> Next chapter: Betty is sent on a downward spiral... Beginning with an unexpected meeting, then finding out what Jughead has been writing so secretively, being topped off with a confrontation with Chuck, causes Betty to succumb to pressure.


	23. Downward Spiral

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: Downward Spiral**

With Betty and Jughead focused on preparing themselves for their baby girl's impending arrival while simultaneously trying to get as far ahead as they can with school, the months have begun to fly by as Betty reaches the final stages of her pregnancy. She's now well over seven-and-a-half months pregnant and convinced that her body is going to explode any day now.

Several weeks have passed since Jughead and Chuck's altercation outside of  _Pop's_ , that resulted in FP finishing off the job that Jughead had started, bashing him to a pulp before dumping the jock in the Southside to walk home. After a few, tense days that left both Jughead and FP waiting on tenterhooks, half expecting a visit from Sheriff Keller, things slowly settled down as it became clear that FP's threat towards Chuck had worked. Either that or, deep down, Chuck knew that he was putting himself in the firing line -exposing himself to the risk of his own sins coming out- by drawing attention to the protective father and son.

That incident had also resulted in Betty's fight with her boyfriend over the promise that she'd asked Jughead to make for his own sake; the promise that he had broken. Following Betty asking Jughead to leave after they argued over his violence towards her rapist and his broken promises to her, things had been frosty between them for a few days, but within the week things had settled down almost to the point of normality for the young couple.

However, while the matter had settled for now, it was just in the sense of being swept under the rug, rather than the matter being properly revisited and dealt with. But, up until now, near enough had been good enough...

Another change that Betty has noticed over the weeks that following their fight is a distinct distancing between them. She doesn't know if she is being oversensitive, or needy or perhaps just hormonal, but she can't deny the fact that Jughead has been making a lot of excuses lately...

" _Sorry Betts. I thought I mentioned that I'm working with Fred today."_

" _I'll be over later this evening. I'm just polishing off a few chapters and I'm on a roll right now."_

" _I'm sorry. I know we haven't hung out the last couple of days, but I promised that I'd give Pop Tate a hand."_

It could all be coincidental and it could all just be her hormones, but, there is no denying that Betty and Jughead haven't spent anywhere near as much time together over the past month and there is no denying his sudden increase both in his working odd jobs here and there and in his sudden urgency for his writing.

It  _could_  be coincidental. It  _could_  be her hormones blowing something simple out of proportion. But, either way and for whatever reason, it  _had_  prompted a notable distancing between them.

Jughead's sudden busyness has left the couple with little time to spend together as well as leaving Betty with the feeling that he's backing off from her, he's backing off from responsibility and he's backing away from all the promises that he'd made to be there for her, every step of the way...

Consequently, the flow-on effect has left a little niggling sensation in the back of Betty's mind -a sense of insecurity- worrying that her boyfriend is second-guessing the decisions that he had made and he's changing his mind about being there for her and her unborn child.

The fact of the matter is that regardless of whether Jughead has intended to do so or not, he  _has_  backed off from Betty, their relationship  _has_  been put on the back-burner at the cost of working odd-jobs for Pop Tate or Fred Andrews he  _has_ sacrificed most of his spare time to work on his writing...

#

Betty is spending her Saturday afternoon shopping for a few baby items. While her daughter's nursery is predominantly set up in sister's old room, she still has a few odd errands to make and things to check off of her infinite lists. So, walking out of a baby store with a few bags in-hand and a strong focus on the next things on her list, she almost walks straight into the little girl that is walking past the shopfront with her mother.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Betty says, quick to apologise to the young girl who wouldn't be any older than ten.

As a pair of familiar big, brown eyes look up to Betty, it takes her a second to piece together the reason behind the familiarity of the child, working the puzzle out as she glances to the adult that is with her.

"Oh, hello Betty! It's been a while since I've seen you around town."

"Mrs. Clayton. Hi..." Betty politely greets the older woman with a little wave, despite the fact that her nervous heart begins to pound and despite the fact that she can feel her throat constrict at realising the uncomfortable situation that she's just found herself in.

Chuck's mother owns Riverdale's local bakery. As with most people in the small town, she and Betty know each other just well enough to at least carry out a little small talk from the handful of occasions that the two have spoken in the past.

Then, after the initial greeting, a silence ensues. Betty notes that the older woman's attention and gaze has been caught by her growing baby belly. Chuck's mother's gaze does not last long, nor does it linger over her abdomen, it's as if she simply just notes the development and change in Betty's body since she had last seen her, before she looks up to the teenager with a kind smile, gesturing to her stomach.

"I heard that you were expecting... Congratulations Betty."

"Thanks..." Betty replies shyly, protectively rubbing her own baby belly. It's a habit that she has found she's fallen into when she feels a little nervous or uncomfortable and here she finds herself doing it again, rubbing one hand over her growing stomach where she's carrying the grandchild of the woman standing before her.

With one hand occupied, Betty can subconsciously sense the familiar sensation of her other hand close shut to form a fist. She can't stop it. She can't control it. She can only feel like an outsider looking on as her hand closes before she is interruptred.

"So, how far along are you? You mustn't have long left now, right? But I know how long it feels like those last few weeks drag on for..."

Betty is stumped by how warm and friendly Chuck's mother as she asks her about her pregnancy, unknowingly about her own grandchild. She quite clearly has no idea of what Betty knows.

"Yeah... It's getting to feel like that. I have about six weeks left."

"Well, for your sake, I hope that time flies by for you" Mrs. Clayton says with a warm smile before posing another interested question to the teenager. "If you don't mind me asking, who's the baby's father? I never did hear that when I heard you were pregnant."

The question stumps Betty for a moment and she can feel her breath hitch within her throat. After failing to hide her reaction to the seemingly simple question that is posed to her, the teenager looks wide-eyed and bewildered. After all, the question is simple, but the answer is not.

Who's the father? Well, your son is.

"Uh, my boyfriend Jughead is. Jughead Jones... I don't know if you know him."

Mrs. Clayton nods her head with a warm smile. "I have crossed paths with him a couple of times. Congratulations to you both."

The ease, the warmth and the friendliness of Chuck's mother represents the polar opposite of Betty in that moment. She struggles to act normal and warm with the knowledge that she is pregnant with the other woman's grandchild when she quite clearly has not got a clue.

During the pause in conversation, Chuck's little sister looks up to her mother, trying to catch her attention and ask who she's speaking to. Betty has seen the younger girl around town before with her family, but she has never actually met Chloe Clayton before today.

"Oh, sorry darling" Mrs. Clayton apologises, laying a hand on her daughter's thick, dark curls before introducing the two girls to one another. "Chloe, this is Betty Cooper. She goes to school with Chuck."

"You know my brother?!" Chloe confirms with a sudden excitement as her big, brown eyes suddenly grow big and bright at the mention of her older brother's name.

The young girl's words trigger Betty, acutely reminding her of the temptation. It reminds her of the fact that she's  _so_  close and that even with shopping bags in her hands, she can feel her closed hands from where they hang by her side. She can feel the familiar temptation, the desire, the want, for her closed hands to clasp shut and for shut hands to clench into fists. She can feel the temptation to dig, to bleed.

She has to give it her  _all_  to resist the temptation to feel a different kind of pain.

Instead, resisting the temptation, Betty's throat grows dry and her stomach churns at the instant excitement that the mention of Chuck has incited in his little sister. Betty is thankful for Mrs. Clayton's low chuckle in what would have made for an awkward silence.

"Can you tell that someone's big brother is their hero?"

Betty has no words.

She has  _no_  idea how she can possibly respond to the little girl who idolises the same man that she fears in her nightmares or whenever her mind creeps back to one horrific night from seven-and-a-half months ago. So, Betty's mouth kicks into autopilot, uttering the first thing that she thinks of that will pull the conversation away from the point that it has got to.

"I'm sorry again for almost walking into you, Chloe."

Chuck's younger sister nods her head up and down, her dark brown curls bouncing around wildly. Her eyes are drawn to Betty's stomach that must seem enormous to a small child.

"It's okay... Is your baby a boy-baby or a girl-baby?"

Her mother is quick to apologise to Betty for her daughter's question. Then, just as fast, she turns to her daughter, trying to explain to her that not everybody finds out their baby's gender and reasoning how some people like to keep it a secret.

"No, that's okay... She can ask" Betty says in reassurance to the young girl's mother before she turns to Chloe and answers her question. "It's a little baby girl."

As Betty answers her question, the young girls face lights up with delight. "Really?! I like girl baby's..."

Betty can't help but smile at the younger girl's contagiously sweet excitement.

However, she quickly feels herself freeze up as she realises that  _her_  'girl baby' is that little girl's  _niece_... Betty instantly stiffens at the connection she has just made and her heart pounds faster and faster as she resolves to get herself out of the situation as soon as she can, knowing that the situation is only so uncomfortable to  _her_.

"It was nice seeing you both, but I really should head off now..."

As Betty shifts the bags from within her grip, she adjusts her hold on them, shifting her shopping bags all into one hand. However, despite the fact that Betty's been holding them for the entire time, the small movement suddenly alerts Mrs. Clayton to the fact that the pregnant teenager is carrying a bundle of well-branded baby bags in front of them.

"Oh, how rude of me! Here, let me take them for you. Chloe can take one too. Where are you parked? We can carry them back to the car for you."

"Oh, I don't drive yet. I walked here."

Chuck's mother gawks at the teenager who is almost in her final month of pregnancy.

"Well, we can drop you off at your home then. There's no way I could let you walk home alone with all these bags."

"I'm fine. Really, I-"

"No, Betty, I  _insist_."

#

After Chuck's mum and sister had dropped her off at her home and as soon as she put her shopping bags down, Betty immediately set course for her next-door-neighbours house, or more specifically, for Jughead. Once he'd assured her that Fred will be working till late and Archie is at training, Betty finally stars venting about her day to her boyfriend.

"It was just the strangest thing, Jug... I mean his mum was so lovely and warm and friendly to me. She actually seemed genuinely interested in hearing about bubba and my pregnancy. But, she had  _no clue_  that I'm carrying her granddaughter."

Betty is still feeling highly-strung and agitated as she rubs her baby bump while she paces around the Andrew's kitchen later that same day, recounting the bizarre experience to her boyfriend.

"Oh, and then I found out that Chuck is his little sister's hero.  _Yeah_. My morning sickness nearly made a comeback right about then."

"I'm sorry, Betts. I wish I was there for you."

Betty gives her boyfriend a little half smile of appreciation from where she is pacing across the other side of the room, before she suddenly changes course and moves towards him. Although her very-pregnant stomach is an enormous barrier between them, Betty drapes across Jughead's back from where he is seated at the island of the Andrews kitchen. Her arms hang over his shoulders as she comfortably nestles her chin into his shoulder, leaning into him as the two of them face the illuminated screen of his laptop.

Over time, Betty has made a habit of  _not_  looking at or reading over Jughead's work, despite how frequently he types away in front of her, he referring to her as his muse. Betty knows herself well enough to know that she can't help herself from making comments; raving about how amazingly he has written a certain, well-strung sentence or telling him how effective a particular metaphor he'd used had been. However, she also knows that giving Jughead absolutely  _any_  feedback on his unfinished work kills his inspiration and flow.

However, today, it's as though Betty is too wired to have any control over her wayward eyes as they lock on the screen of his laptop from where she's standing behind him. Then, from her initial glance at the screen, her eyes very quickly become locked in place as she reads over a string of certain words...

" _You promised me that you would keep your hands off of him. You broke your promise... I thank you, but it's a little late for honesty."_

Betty knows those words...

After all, they had been  _her_  words. They had been her words to her boyfriend, her words that she had regretted the harshness of after uttering them in the wake of learning that he had broken his promise to her.

Glancing back at the screen, her eyes are enraptured by a handful of other sentences that jump out to her on the screen.

' _You rub your blooming baby belly that has blossomed just as the baby within you –your bubba, who has become ours- grows. It's a trait that has become your tell.'_

' _As golden locks frame your face, you look so beautiful, so youthful, so innocent. To the untrained eye, your beauty holds no trace of the scars that you have to show for your trauma that haunts you deep within_.'

 _Chuck_...  _Bubba_...  _Us..._   _Betts_...

Not for the first time today, Betty feels her breath escape her in pure shock. She pulls away from where she had been resting against Jughead, returning to pacing around the kitchen.

" **That's** what you're writing..."

Betty pauses, darkness filling her big, green eyes as quickly as they are filled with the moisture of tentative tears. The first time she speaks, her words are uttered with a tone of  _realisation_  as things slot into place, making sense. Then, as she continues to speak, her words are riddled with  _devastation_  at what has just made the world of sense to her. There is an enormous difference in the delivery of the two strings of words.

"You're writing about  _us_? You're writing about  _me_?!"

Betty looks at her boyfriend with desperation. She's searching for any sign that she might wrong... Any sign and any reason to question the assumptions she's beginning to draw... Something - _anything-_  to stop her heart from slowly breaking within her...

"Betty. Betts... Calm down. Let me explain, okay?"

Seeing the reaction that his words have incited in Betty, Jughead slams his laptop shut, setting it aside and trying to show the lack of importance that it has in comparison to her. He flies out of his seat to be by her side. Wanting to touch her, hold her and most of all, comfort her.

However, Jughead's plans are foiled as she holds her arm out to keep him at arm's length, stopping him from touching her.

"No...  _No_. What am I to you, Jughead?! Is my life all just a bit of inspiration for you?! Jason Blossom all over again? Is our relationship just a front-row seat to exactly what's happening in  _my_  story?! The misfortunes of poor, pregnant Betty Cooper are just the sequel to Jason's murder, aren't they? Are my experiences just another awful situation that would make an A-grade plot to a bestseller?! If you'd like, I can just give you a direct word-for-word transcript of what happened with Chuck's mum and sister if that helps you..."

Betty's pacing only grows faster as she waddles around the Andrews' kitchen, fighting off the tears in her eyes while her chest rises and falls rapidly. From where they are slung by her sides, Betty can feel her hands tightening a little, clenching a little tighter and growing a little further closed. She can feel the grab of skin against her palms beneath four nails in one hand, and four in the other. She can feel the temptation, the desire to just tighten that little bit more...  _Oh_ , how she wants to.

"Betts, just hear me out. Yes, I've been writing about everything, but I wouldn't do anything to hurt you  _or_  bubba. You know that!"

Jughead is frantic in trying to make his point to Betty as her agitation and panic increases. He can tell she's crumbling and that she's on the verge of a panic attack. So, he's simultaneously trying to make his point, while trying to calm her down and bring her back from away from the edge.

It doesn't seem to be working.

"I can't believe this... This is  _my_  life - _bubba's_  life-, Jughead!"

"I know that!"

Suddenly, Betty stops.

It's as instant as the flick of a switch when Betty just comes to a sudden, grinding halt by the basin of the kitchen. Jughead is barely two metres away, trying to approach her while permitting her to the space that she needs to remain calm. However, while her movements cease, her intensity only increases as her palms tighten into fists, crossing in front of her. She looks across the kitchen as striking green eyes meet oceanic blue.

" _Do you?_ "

It's as though every ounce of Betty's strength is poured into questioning Jughead and his motives as her boyfriend over the past months, questioning  _everything_.

In that moment when there are so many words that  _need_ to be said and so many things that Jughead  _wants_  to say, he is suddenly shrouded by silence.

However, Betty doesn't let the silence linger, her soft, broken voice uttering three, final words in answer to her own question that Jughead had failed to respond to, failing to break through the silence.

"I thought so..."

Looking at each other just metres apart, their bodies are so close, yet so far apart. Devastated green eyes meet heartbroken blue ones and the beholder of the aquamarine knows that the tears in her beautiful emerald orbs are all his fault.

Then, just like that, the exchange and the wordless communication between each other's eyes is broken as Betty's blink shut, allowing her tears to break free and flow down her cheeks as she quickly pushes past her boyfriend, leaving him as she leaves her neighbours home.

"Stay away from me, Jughead."

#

After leaving the Andrews' residence and after leaving her boyfriend, Betty meanders around the small town aimlessly. She doesn't want to return home, she can't turn to him and she can't go to her safe place, seeing as it's  _theirs_. So, she just walks.

She has barely walked, or  _waddled_ , for ten minutes before she reaches the quiet part of town and the crossroad where Fitzgerald Street meets Maple Grove, the intersection where homes slowly dissipate from that point on. It's at this crossroads when Betty feels the awful sensation of a shiver that fills her.

She quickly recognises  _why_  it feels all too familiar.

Standing at the intersection, Betty is chilled by the familiarity of the moment, realising it is a sense of déjà vu. So, she swipes a moist, falling tear off of her cheek as she turns back and heads for home, taking the option that she  _should_  have taken that night when she kept walking, leading herself straight into the path of unknowing danger...

Although it's many hours earlier in the day, there's a familiarity that fills the air, causing Betty's heart to race. It feels all too much like the night when she was attacked and taken advantage of almost eight months ago.

Just the same as the night that she was attacked by Chuck, Betty is feeling weak and she is feeling vulnerable as she roams the streets of Riverdale. However, the pain that Betty had felt that night after being rejected by Archie is  _nothing_  to rival the new level of pain that she's experiencing in feeling disappointed by the man who has turned out to the love of her life.

However, Betty is about to learn that the air of familiarity does not end there...

"Betty... Betty!"

As soon as she hears the voice that she knows all too well, another chill pulses through her, her hands clenching into fists, not for the first time today.

Just like the night when her nightmares began, Chuck approaches Betty once again, calling out her name as she cries to herself. While he had been as a wolf in sheep's clothing the last time, this time he is quite clearly angry and outraged, doing nothing for Betty's anxieties as he approaches her in this mood.

While she tries to quicken her pace as she heads for her home, the heavily pregnant teenager is no match for the athletic jock and very quickly he has caught up to her, keeping pace with her as they walk side-by-side. She knows that she has  _no_  chance of ever outrunning him. However, his presence doesn't deter Betty from the focus she maintains on getting home as fast as she can.

"Leave me alone, Chuck.  _Please_. Please, just don't..."

Tears stream from her red, bloodshot eyes. She can't hide her tears, nor can she control them as they flow freely down her cheeks.

In this moment, Betty feels just as weak as she felt in front of Chuck all those months ago, feeling as weak as the day that he had gone on to force himself on her, on that awful day that started it all.

Betty doesn't even have the strength within her to even and try to  _pretend_  that she is stronger than she feels is in that moment. She can't hide, nor can she control the stream of tears that flow down her face.

"Please, Chuck. Please. Not now..."

Chuck overlooks Betty's distress and her ignores pleas so completely that it's almost as though he's not even talking to the same person. He doesn't even flinch with sympathy before continuing to speak.

"Look. I don't appreciate being threatened. Getting your jerk boyfriend and his dad to roughen me up? Nice touch, but I ignored that. What I  _won't_  ignore though is my mum and sister coming home and telling me all about catching up with you. What the hell do you think you're playing at by talking to my family?!"

"I didn't mean to. I mean, I bumped into them in town and-"

Betty's frantic explanation is cut off and cut short by the evidently agitated man, his eyebrows furrowed as you can almost  _see_  the steam pour out of his ears.

"I don't care" Chuck warns, enunciating each word in the loudest, sharpest whisper that she has ever heard. "Just don't talk to my family  _ever_  again. Or, I can make your life a hell of a lot harder, Betty Cooper..."

At the threat from her rapist, from the father of her unborn child, Betty can no longer keep her nails from plunging into the palms of her tightly clenched hands. Then, after the first cuts are made and after the first, red crescents are formed, her nails only plough deeper and deeper into her palms, any control long gone, evaporated, as her fears, her stresses and her turmoil reaches boiling point...

Betty's crumbling just as her world is. And, she can't stop the pull of being slowly swallowed up whole by the looming abyss of darkness...

"Congratulations Chuck. Look, I don't even know what the game was, but you've  _won_. There's nothing else left of me for you to break..."

#

After Betty's final, broken words to Chuck, she is quick to walk off. She is beyond thankful for the fact that he doesn't continue following after her. Although she has managed to lose him, Betty still remains headed for home, suddenly seeking the comfort and the solace of her bedroom and she's not quite sure she'll ever be able to bring herself to leave it.

However, as she approaches her family home, Betty is quick to notice the final roadblock that is separating her from her destination.

Jughead is sitting there waiting on the steps of her front porch. He's preoccupied with nervously rubbing his hands together until he hears her approaching footsteps, his eyes flying up to meet hers as quickly as he rises to his feet to be by her side.

"Where were you? Are you alright?" Seeing her upset without her saying a word, Jughead instinctively raises a hand to comfort his girlfriend, but she quickly dodges his touch.

"I'm fine."

Betty's words say one thing, but her monotone voice, her fresh tears and her red eyes tell another story.

"Betty... Come on... I know you. Is this about what happened before? Is this about my book?"

"No, Jughead.  _I understand_... But, I don't want to talk about it."

Betty seems peaceful, she seems calm. However, it's only an illusion and it's a deception of the calm before the coming storm...

"... After all, I was foolish for thinking that this would end well and I was even more foolish to cling onto the idea of playing happy families" Betty adds, continuing to speak.

"Betts... What do you mean? What are you talking about? I love you... I love bubba. If you'll let me explain, you'll see that this doesn't change anything."

As confusion settles across his face, Jughead once again tries to touch her, trying to take her hands in his until she releases her grasps.

"No, Jughead. It changes everything. But, it's okay, though. I should have known that everything was far too good to be true. But, at least I'm up to speed with reality now..."

"Betty... What are you talking about? What do you mean?!"

Sensing that something is wrong and sensing that something has changed, Jughead can feel his heart to pound as a frown spreads across his face, feeling the frantic urgency beginning to grow in his words and his voice.

"I've woken up from the dream life, Jughead.  _That's_  what I mean... I mean that I've realised that I need to give my baby up."

As Jughead struggles to process the bombshell that she has just dropped on him, Betty takes advantage of his surprise and she leaves him standing there on her front porch. Then, as she walks off, Jughead falls back down to the step that he'd been sitting on as he fails to process the events of the last few hours. He can barely even make sense of how things have transpired over the last ten minutes as he struggles to realise just how greatly his life has changed since he got out of bed this morning.

Consequently, with his eyes looking down to the ground, Jughead doesn't see the way Betty's clenched fists open a little as she enters her home... He doesn't see how her slightly opened palms reveal the deepest cuts... He doesn't see the red crescents that are far longer and deeper than the shape of her fingernails... He doesn't see the various shades of crimson, varying between fresher and then more dried-up blood all within her scarred, bloodied palms...

But, most of all, Jughead doesn't see the way that her palms reveal just how deep and dark the abyss, the pit of darkness, which Betty has fallen into,  _really_  is...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My longest chapter yet - over 5,000 words! There was really no way of splitting this chapter and I wanted the punchy effect of everything happening one after the other, after the other. I hope you liked it! I'd love to hear your thoughts on everything that transpired... What you thought about Betty's meeting with Chuck's mother and sister, her fight with Jughead, what he has really been writing, Chuck's confrontation with Betty and finally, the fact that everything has caused Betty to decide to give up her baby.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read and commented on the last chapter. As always, the feedback and the support means the world to me and I hope you all continue to enjoy where the story goes from here.
> 
> Next chapter: In the aftermath, Jughead, her parents and her friends struggle to get through to Betty.


	24. The Brink

**CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: The Brink**

It has been a week.

The studious, straight-A student hasn't even left her bedroom to go to school. That one factor  _alone_  is seriously concerning behaviour for Betty.

All in all, she hasn't spoken to anyone and she hasn't listened to anyone's attempts to help her in that week...

She hasn't answered her phone. She has barely glanced at her monsoon of concerned messages from her friends, let alone bothering to reply to them. She hasn't answered her door. She had just yelled at her parents during any attempts that they had made to forcefully enter her bedroom after ignoring her refusal for them to enter. Even when Jughead had climbed to the second storey of the Cooper home she just closed the curtains in his face. Yet, because she took a little too long to get from one side of her room to the other, her waddling slowness that allowed him to catch a glimpse into her state, seeing enough to know that she is not okay.

She has refused contact with  _everyone_  and  _no one_  knows what they can do about that.

While few people know the  _whole_  story, her parents, her friends and her boyfriend all know that she is fragile and no one wants to do anything to push her any closer to the breaking point that she is edging nearer and nearer to...

Consequently, Jughead had initiated an intervention between her parents, Veronica, Archie, Kevin and himself as the group discusses the best way that they can help Betty.

"Maybe I could offer to take her away for a girlie weekend..."

Veronica's voice is intentionally hushed, but it strikes Jughead that he doesn't  _care_  whether or not Betty can hear them. In fact, in many ways he hopes that she is listening and that she can hear their plans so that at least she knows that they care about her.

"Nice thought, Blue Jasmine, but I can't see Betty wanting to get away from Riverdale if she hasn't even wanted to get away from her bedroom for a whole week..." Kevin counters.

The whole intervention has been going exactly like this for over the last hour. Someone makes a suggestion, someone else pokes a hole in the idea or straight-out knocks it back, and repeat... Consequently, during the last hour they have gotten absolutely  _nowhere_.

Suddenly, he can't take it anymore.

Jughead can't just sit around waiting, talking, hoping that someone will find the perfect idea, come up with the perfect solution that no one can refute. He can't take it anymore. He has to take action and he has to do  _something_. In the very least, he has to try.

After all, it's not just been one hour that they've spent getting nowhere; it's been one week of sitting back and waiting helplessly; waiting for Betty to seek help and waiting for her to let them in.

So, finally, Jughead takes action...

Abruptly, the beanie-clad young man gets up from his seat at the dining table, where he's sitting between Alice and Archie, and he doesn't look back. Almost instantly he's out of the room, upstairs and attempting to twist open the door handle to a certain blonde's bedroom. Immediately he feels thankful for the easy open upon quickly noting that the door isn't locked, easily twisting open under his grasp.

However, it wouldn't have stopped him... It wouldn't matter if the door was bolted or barricaded, he would find a way to get to her and he would do what he needed to do to be there for her and to talk her through the rash decision that she had made a week ago.

"Juggie" Betty says, a little startled as her boyfriend burst through her bedroom door. After all, it's the most movement that she's seen in days. "What are you doing?!"

Jughead doesn't mess around, cutting straight to the chase seeing as time is no longer on his side. After all, it has already been a whole week that she has kept herself in isolation for, it has already been a whole week during which she hasn't spoken to anyone and it has already been a whole week where she hasn't gone back on her hasty decision to give her unborn daughter up. They are running out of weeks before a certain little lady arrives and Jughead is well-aware that he has to act quick, knowing that he will live with the regret of failing in his endeavour for years to come.

The thing is, Jughead knows that it's ultimately Betty's decision...

It's Betty's baby. It's Betty and Chuck's baby. And, while Jughead has been willingly preparing to fill the role as the father of Betty's daughter for the most part of her pregnancy, he knows that she calls the shots. He knows that if adoption is truly what she wants, he doesn't have the right to force her to raise her child or sway her otherwise. It's Betty's decision; if that's what she  _wants_...

However, Jughead has a sinking feeling that it is  _not_. He has a feeling that he needs to try and help her to see otherwise. Or, in the very least, he needs to ensure that if she  _does_  want to give her daughter up, then that is truly, irrefutably what she wants. He needs to be sure that Betty isn't just feeling like she's stuck at a dead-end, that she's feeling no hope and seeing no other choice than giving her daughter up, the decision that she had dropped on him abruptly when she saw him waiting on her front steps a week ago after their fight.

"Don't give her up, Betts. Don't give bubba up..." There's a desperation to Jughead's voice, a sense of pleading in his eyes. "You don't want to."

Betty simply shakes her head at her boyfriend's earnest request, her tears leaving trails of glimmering moisture as they streak down her cheeks.

"Don't call her that..."

Jughead can sense that Betty doesn't want him using their pet name for her unborn daughter because that's just a little too close for comfort... It carries a little too much emotion when she's quite clearly trying to push aside any feeling and any care for the baby that they had both been anticipating the arrival of in the coming weeks.

Sensing this, Jughead changes gears. His voice that had been indignant and full of desperation softens and calms, reducing to a quiet whisper as he poses a question to his girlfriend.

"Is it working?"

Instantly, Betty looks at Jughead a little strangely. It's clear that she's unsure of exactly what it is that he's asking her as she attempts to decipher his question.

"Is  _what_  working?"

"Trying to push bubba away... Trying to pretend that both of us weren't looking forward to being a family with that little girl... Trying to pretend like the last few months haven't happened and trying to pretend that giving her up is just what you wanted all along..."

Betty glances up at him briefly, but she can't keep her eyes locked on him for long. She knows that he can read her like a book and she knows that he will know the truth of the situation.

"I don't know what you're talking about" she just answers weakly, her eyesight falling to the ground, her hands tightening into clenched fists and her arms crossing in front of her body, nervously. Just in case Jughead had any reason to doubt how he suspects that she is feeling, Betty's clear body language only confirms his suspicions.

"Betts... Talk to me" he encourages gently, taking a step closer to his pregnant girlfriend.

He is unknowingly wearing her weak defences down and with one final sigh, she succumbs to the truth, opening up to her boyfriend. Her strength is wearing thin after a week of pushing everyone and everything away when she had started off at such a low point to begin with.

"I can't give her what she deserves."

For just a moment, Jughead blinks blankly, frozen to the spot. Then, kicking back into reality, Betty knows that he is about to butt-in and interject her confession, so she is quick to expand on it before he has a chance to do so.

"...  _We_  can't, Jughead. I can't give my daughter a steady start to her life – I'm in high school, I have next to no savings, I don't even have a job.  _We_  can't give her a solid, supportive family – we're next-door-neighbours and you're not even her father. Not to mention, we're just kids ourselves. If I truly love my baby, I have to accept that she deserves more than this. She deserves a life away from here, away from Riverdale. She should be raised away from the whispers about her paternity that are bound to arrive when she does, when people realise our daughter looks nothing like you. She deserves more than all of this..."

Looking up to Jughead with glazed eyes, Betty looks heartbroken and she looks crushed as she utters the final words of her explanation.

"She deserves so much more than what I can give her, Jug..."

Finally, Betty is overcome by the tears and fears that she had bottled up, trying to remain strong and sure in her conviction for over a week.

Right there in her boyfriend's company, Betty is able to let go; letting go of the gap and the confliction between her internal war of what she wants versus what she thinks the right thing to be for her daughter. She lets it all go as he steps closer, holding his arms out and open towards her as she collapses, sobbing, into the arms of the man who is strong enough for them both right now.

With her hair free from her signature ponytail, Jughead gently tucks a golden lock of her hair behind her hair, from where she's collapsed into his body, being held within his arms. Then, just as gently, he whispers to her.

"The idea of giving her up is something you're trying to force on yourself, isn't it? Deep down, you want to keep her, Betts. I  _know_  that you want her. I know that you do because I can tell you feel the same way that I do... Because, I want her,  _too.._."

Betty sniffles, desperately rasping for air between the sobs and tears that have overcome her. Meanwhile, rubbing circles into her back, Jughead continues whispering and he continues reassuring her.

"We can make this work because we want it to. Sure, it's against the odds and it's not your typical situation, but deep down, you  _know_  that we will make this work. And, when you're focusing on all the negatives and thinking about all that is going against us,  _that's_  the one fact that you can't ignore... Isn't it?"

"You know me too well, Jughead Jones" she mumbles in little more than a whisper, releasing a sad sigh before he continued with his words of encouragement.

"Being raised by you –by  _us_ \- is the best thing for her, Betts. Who else could possibly show her the love and the self-sacrifice that you have? Even before I offered to join your journey,  _you_  had been willing to have your beautiful little girl, to raise her and to accept the conclusions that everyone would jump to about you, even after the absolutely awful things you were put through... Who else could possibly show that amount of love and self-sacrifice to her? That's a mother's love, Betts."

Shifting away from her solace that she had sought within his arms, Betty moves just a little to be able to look up and look Jughead in his eyes, revealing to him just how red and bloodshot her own emerald orbs are. She doesn't care if he sees how she is in this moment; she just needs to see the truth in  _him_  in that moment. She needs all the confirmation that she can get to believe his words and to put her trembling confidence in trusting what the right thing to do is.

Then, from where he's looking at his girlfriend intently and without her saying a word, it's as though Jughead knows what she needs to hear and it's as if she needs the added confidence in this moment.

So, after he first gently strokes a comforting hand down her face, Jughead's open palm slowly moves down to her hands that are balled up in her lap. Delicately, and ever-so gently, Jughead slowly pries her hands open to reveal her red, swollen and slightly infected, completely ravaged palms to them both. There are numerous different points of impact and several red shapes that had begun as small crescents within her palms. It's quite clear that her self-harm has been recurring and it's quite clear that each time had been damaging as her nails had dug and carved atop of her existing scars and other wounds.

Seeing the damage that she has done to herself, Jughead cannot help but wince and flinch uncomfortably at the sight within his hands. Her pain and the result of her pain, brings  _him_  pain.

"You don't want to give bubba up, Betts.  _See_... You don't want to give her up. This is  _you_  telling yourself that you don't want this, Betty."

As Jughead reveals her scarred, damaged palms that undoubtedly need medical attention, it's as if Betty is seeing her hands and the damage that she has done to herself for the first time, or, at least she's seeing it with fresh eyes.

Either her hands or his words have triggered something within Betty as fresh tears fill her eyes. Then, suddenly, she cannot stop her upset, nor can she control her cries as she falls back into his arms and the truth of the matter, the point that he is trying to make to her, hits her suddenly, coming down hard like a tonne of bricks.

Eventually when her cries have mellowed enough to speak, Betty sniffles into his chest, softly and quietly.

"You're right, Juggie... I know I want to keep my baby... I know I can't give bubba up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked that one! I would love to know your thoughts on the chapter. I hope you liked the way that Jughead managed to reason with and reassure her to make her change her mind and see what she truly wants. After everything she's been through, do you agree that raising her baby with Jughead is the best thing for Betty?
> 
> Thank you so very much to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. I'm sorry that this one wasn't up sooner. I've been a little too focused on my other story and I've made the most of being on a roll with inspiration for 'What You Left Behind'. Little shout out to RockyRoll, BadWolfNovak, tinnie, Anna and MotherMaple for leaving a comment on the last chapter. Thank you!
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead reveals the reason why he has been writing the story of Betty and her struggles, and it's going to change her life. Any guesses?


	25. Our Story

**CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: Our Story**

A little over a week after her turning point when Betty resolved that she couldn't give her daughter up, things slowly but surely began to return to normal.

In fact, after the hiccup and her moment of faltering her decision, Betty had quickly began to step back into pace with planning her future with Jughead and her unborn baby. The week of hesitation had seemingly only made her stronger and more confident in her new resolve to raise her baby with the man she loves. It was almost as though she wasn't just going along with it now, she had truly weighed her options up and now she couldn't bear the thought of any other alternative.

Consequently, a little over a week after Betty's turning point is when Jughead felt like Betty was ready to handle the rest of the story about his writing. She hadn't allowed him to finish telling her the reason behind his story when she had realised that he has been writing about her, about them and about their life a few weeks back. The matter had been pushed under the rug after she told him that she was planning to give her daughter up before changing her mind on that. But, it couldn't be forgotten forever. She needed to know the truth and she needed to hear the full story...

Just the day before, Jughead had arranged to have lunch with Betty at  _Pop's_ , telling her that he would explain his side of what she had seen and what she had read; the words that had left her devastated at learning that he's been writing their story and her life, leaving her feeling like she was just some inspiration for a tragic story.

Now as he holds the door open for his pregnant girlfriend and the two walk into Pop's, Jughead orders a spread of her favourite food before walking over to join her at their favourite booth. He had chosen this particular time of day for their date because he knew from his very explicit knowledge of  _Pop's_  that it's an off-peak time of day when the diner is usually at a lull with few, if any, other customers. And, as he scans the room, he is glad that his knowledge hadn't proven him wrong. In fact, there's currently only one other customer; a wired-looking businessman who is typing away on his iPad frantically, in-between enormous gulps of caffeine.

"Vanilla milkshake for you, my love" Jughead announces charmingly as he places the cup in front of his girlfriend on the table, before putting his own one down also; the beverages will tide them over until the hot food arrives.

"Thanks Juggie..." Betty replies, giving him a sweet smile of appreciation and pressing a kiss to his cheek as he slides into the booth beside her.

After taking a few sips of her milkshake, Betty looks over to her boyfriend, watching him intently. She takes in the little details of his expression and his body language, trying to read him. She can tell that he isn't quite relaxed, that he is feeling  _something_ , but she can't quite pinpoint what that feeling is.

"So... You said that you wanted to talk... Is this your way of breaking up with me or something, Mr. Jones?"

Jughead instantly releases a nervous little laugh at her question that couldn't be further from the truth.

"No... No, definitely not trying to break up with you, Betts" Jughead says as he chuckles once again, quickly taking her hands in his. His face grows more serious and graven as he thinks about the question that she has posed to him. " _Why_? You don't want to break up, do you?"

Betty's question had been a tease all along, but she sees the very real fear in him as he asks her the same question, growing frantic. So, to reassure him of the answer to his own question, she gives him a smile to show him just how happy she is to be sitting there in that booth, with him by her side as her boyfriend, before she leans in to press a kiss to his lips that clears up any remaining doubts.

Feeling his pounding heart calm within his chest a little from her reassurances, Jughead gives her a grateful smile, forever amazed by the fact that she is his. Then, suddenly remembering his purpose he pulls out his laptop from his satchel that he had brought on the date with them.

However, before Jughead can say anymore or answer Betty's puzzled looks, the pair is briefly interrupted when the spread of her favourite foods, dishes and desserts are spread out across the table, with cutlery for two.

After the food break, Jughead returns their focus to his laptop as he lifts the screen and enters the password that Betty knows. His screen immediately jumps to the pages of a document, currently focused on the very first lines of a fifty-seven page story.

"What's this?" Betty asks, her brows furrowing a little as she looks to Jughead for answers. He just wordlessly slides his laptop in front of her, willing her to read his private thoughts and words.

"Read it... But, I want you to know I have absolutely no intentions of publishing this, Betts. I never have. You write diaries, Betty Cooper, and I guess that in a way, I do too... I started writing this as a way to try to handle and cope with all of the anger that was building up and consuming me over what happened to you. I never, ever intended to use your story as inspiration for a bestseller."

Betty's face has grown solemn and a little more serious as she nods at Jughead's explanation, prompting him to continue speaking as he slides his laptop a little closer towards her.

"I just want you to read what you saw me writing the other day; what I've been working on so much lately. You'll have to let me know what you think about the ending."

Betty gives him a curious look, a small smile. After all, surely, if he's been writing  _their_  story, the ending won't be all that unfamiliar to her... Right?

Curiously, she turns her focus to his words, scooting a little closer towards him to settle in and get comfortable to pour out all her focus on the piece of writing that she has in front of her.

Though written in third person, she reads about her boyfriend; the very obvious 'he' in reference. She reads about Jughead and about how the 'he' of the story is so madly, deeply and completely in love with the 'she' and their baby.

She reads how Jughead had felt through hearing about what had happened to her in an act of unthinkable violence... She reads how he felt after feeling her baby kick... She reads how in love with her unborn child he is, making it almost easy for both of them to forget and ignore the fact that it's not biologically his daughter... And, the detail that Betty finds overwhelming, is reading about what he thinks of her and how he thinks of her... The complete devotion, the wonder and the wholehearted love towards a single person shines through in his writing, making Betty's heart swell.

She wants to pause. She wants to kiss him and to hold him, thank him for the enormity of his gesture, for sharing his deepest thoughts with her. But, she just can't bear to stop reading and pull herself away from his words.

By her side, Jughead watches his girlfriend intently, with his heart on the line as she reads his innermost private thoughts and feelings. Watching her, he reads her silent expressions and body language as her lips curl into a smile, she gently bites and nips the corner of her bottom lip, all the while watching her eyes sparkle, radiating with true joy and happiness.

He knows that she is getting closer and closer to the ending. He can feel his palms sweat and his heart pound as a sign of his growing nerves.

Jughead could often express himself better through his written word and this particular instance is no different...

As the written words on the typed page break the fourth wall, leaving Betty's jaw drops as she reads the final words of Jughead's story...  _Their_  story.

' _All he can hope for, all he can ever hope for is a happy ending for two triumphant teenagers that couldn't deserve it more._

_So, sitting beside her in a booth at their safe place, their eye through a storm, he hopes for nothing more than being by her side, forever... So, the boy who can be labelled as the luckiest guy alive turns to the most beautiful, strong, loyal and kind woman, seeking the honour of keeping that title, forever..._

" _Will you marry me?"'_

Betty's wide eyes turn away from Jughead's typed word -turned interactive story- that has left the opportunity to respond open to her as she turns to him. Her mouth falls open as she is faced with her boyfriend who is sitting beside her on the booth, holding open a black, velvet jewellery box that is encasing the most beautiful, simple single-diamond ring in front of her.

His writing is anything  _but_  fiction.

"Betty Cooper...  _Will you_  marry me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, who saw that one coming?
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter! Sorry it was a little on the shorter side. Originally this chapter and the previous one were combined obviously making one bigger chapter over two shorter ones. I felt like it was too much of a jump going from Betty coming back from her breakdown to Jughead proposing all in one so I decided to split it. The next one will definitely be longer.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to let me know what you think! I'd love to hear your predictions on where things will go from here...
> 
> Next chapter: Betty gives Jughead her answer. What will she say?


	26. Will You?

**CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: Will You?**

It takes Betty a long, long time to recover from her shock enough to be able to speak. Even then, she still cannot help her trembling voice as she looks at her boyfriend with total, utter, complete disbelief etched into her face as a result of his surprise proposal.

"Juggie... You have a ring... You can't afford that!"

Initially, her words are initially filled with panic as her eyes dart up to him and then back down to the little, black, velvet box. However, looking back up to him, Betty slowly begins to relax at the sight of her boyfriend holding the jewellery box bearing an engagement ring, a small smile curling on her lips.

Slowly, she begins to speak once again with a different type of disbelief, this time filled a wonder and amazement that leads to a quick-fire game of verbal ping-pong between the couple before she eventually gives her boyfriend the answer to the question that he is  _really_  wanting to know...

"You got me a ring..."

"I know."

"... But we're so young, Juggie."

"I know."

"We're not even adults."

"I know."

"As in, we're still in high school..."

"I know."

"And, I'm pregnant, Jughead."

"I know."

"And the baby's not yours..."

"I beg to differ, but  _technically_ , I know."

"We love each other."

"I know."

"And you're proposing to me..."

"I  _know_."

"And- yes.  _Yes_... Yes!"

As the smile floods her face and excitement fills her in making her life-changing decision, Betty nods frantically at Jughead as though she needs to give him her answer as quickly as she can, in fear of him changing his mind and retracting his proposal if she's not quick enough.

From where they're seated side-by-side in the booth at  _Pops_ , she throws her arms over his shoulders and around his neck while his wrap around her waist. Her growing stomach is the only thing between them as they hold each other close and tight, celebrating their moment. Then, it's as instantaneous as a flick of the switch as the waterworks start flowing for the hormonal, pregnant teenager at the sudden rush of new emotions.

In that monumental moment as they hold each other as close as they can, as tight as they can, both Jughead and Betty's hearts pound, basking in the joy they can't hide at the prospect of spending the rest of their lives with each other.

Then, slowly, hesitantly, pulling apart from one another, Jughead takes Betty's arm in his hand, gliding his gentle grasp down until he's delicately clasping her hand, with access to her slim fingers. Glancing up to her for confirmation once more and being given the strongest nod of approval he's ever seen in his life, Jughead takes the ring from its little velvet box, carefully and gently sliding it onto Betty's left hand.

The additional piece of jewellery on Betty's finger only increases Betty's flood of free-flowing, emotional tears as she struggles to remember a time in her life when she felt as happy as this moment right then and there, wanting to hold onto that feeling forever.

After slipping the engagement ring onto Betty's finger, Jughead's hands have barely left hers before she sweeps him up in the most passionate, loving kiss. It feels the  _closest_  that it can get to conveying how much they love each other in their moment of overwhelming happiness, yet even that is still nowhere near  _enough_. After all, it's not quite possible to express the complete love they have for each other that floods their overjoyed hearts.

Then, when Betty's pregnancy-induced breathlessness finally gets the better of her and they are forced apart, the two share their enormous, reciprocated grins. In that moment, the world could be ending around them, but they only have eyes for each other as they relish in feeling of their shared, unimaginable joy and happiness that they have found with one another.

When the lover's eyes are finally released from their trance, Betty's focus turns to her new piece of jewellery, now suddenly unable to tear her eyes away from her sparkling ring as her head collapses into his chest while his arms wrap around her, keeping her close to him.

The ring is a beautiful, single, oval-cut diamond that is centred on a gold band. The size of the diamond is stunningly eye-catching, but the simplicity of the ring ensures that it draws attention to itself in an unpretentious manner.

In one word the engagement ring can be succinctly defined as 'classy'. In fact, it's so perfectly suited to its bearer that it's almost more Betty Cooper than Betty Cooper herself.

"We're  _engaged_ , Juggie..." with a content sigh.

"That does seem to be the consensus now, doesn't it?"

In response to Betty's obvious comment, Jughead tries to muster up a teasing smirk. But, he fails in the execution of it as his attempted smirk only furthers his smile of happiness. Meanwhile, having missed (or ignored) his slither of sarcasm, Betty doesn't stop herself from reiterating their engagement, trying to absorb her happiness and the enormous impact that it will have on the rest of their life.

"We're getting  _married.._. You're going to be stuck with me forever."

Looking up to her fiancé with a smile, Betty has a world of happiness in her shining emerald eyes as she gazes at him with pure love and adoration. So, seeing the love and seeing the joy in her eyes as she looks to him, Jughead can't bring himself to make another teasing remark at and he can't stop himself from sharing in her joy, sharing her smile as she speaks up again.

"I love you so much, Jughead Jones. So,  _so_  much... But, I think my ring is the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. I'm sorry, but you've got competition, buddy."

#

Walking home from  _Pop's_ , Jughead curses himself for not borrowing his father's truck. He'd clearly been too distracted with what he planned to do at  _Pop's_  to think beyond leaving the diner. However, despite his million offers to call them a taxi, to get someone to pick them up or to even carry her, Betty insists she's fine. She insists that the short walk is actually doing her the world of good since the baby has been drawn to resting against her spine of late.

This brings the two to where they are halfway home, walking along, hand-in-hand in comfortable silence.

Jughead's heart is still trying to return to a slow and steady beat after he had been overcome by nervous palpitations and thumps in the lead up to proposing. Meanwhile, Betty's mind is caught up in a daydream; the romantic dreamer within her has burst free at the prospect of planning her wedding. However, Betty's thoughts of bridesmaid dresses and floral arrangements are interrupted as a sudden realisation strikes fear into her heart, worrying whether she'll ever even  _make it_ down the aisle.

"Juggie..." Betty rasps nervously to catch her fiancés attention. The breath is swept out of her as she snatches up Jughead's arm, her arm curling around his bicep to support herself.

"My parents... We have to tell my parents. There's  _no way_  they're going to let us get married."

If she wasn't heavily pregnant and already carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, Jughead would tease her fears and play it up. But, given her circumstances, he figures it's better for her health to be straight with her.

" _They know_ , Betts. I asked them for their permission before I asked you. Originally, I was going to ask your dad, but I figured that there's one person in your parents marriage who seems to wear the pants in that relationship, and I don't think it's your father..."

Betty's big, green eyes look at her boyfriend with bewilderment. She seems more shocked by his answer than she had been about her initial fears.

"And my parents were okay with this? They were okay with us  _getting_   _married_?"

Betty has to say the words for her sake once again, still struggling to believe it for herself. Yet, she can't resist the smile that quirks on the corner of her lips at the two certain words that she never would have envisioned saying so soon, but has found that she has quickly developed an addiction for.

"Well, after I showed them the graphs, the flow chart and ten year projection, one of them was on-board with the idea, but the other took a lot more convincing from both of us... Surprisingly, your mum said 'yes' to the idea right from the start, but your dad was initially against it. After a few weeks we were able to get him to come around to the idea... I think it was the genetic testing we had done to make sure I was no part-Blossom that did the trick."

Betty misses his tease.

"A few  _weeks_?! How long ago did you ask them? You did  _all_  of that and you got my parents on board with the idea without even knowing if I'd say yes or no?"

Betty looks up to the man beside her with sparkling adoration in her eyes, gazing at him like he's liquid gold. After all, he just about  _is_  to have braved the overprotective Cooper parents, all for the purpose of being granted their permission to marry their youngest daughter. However, Jughead –ever the quiet achiever- just shyly smiles as his gaze turns downward, towards the ground.

"I did it the day we got back from staying with Polly... When we got back to Riverdale, you were exhausted and had an early night. So, I had a chance to ask them before I left that night."

From where her arm is hooked around his and from where they're walking along the pavement, Betty stops them on the spot for a moment. She releases her hold on his arm, placing each of her hands either side of his face as her stomach crashes into his. Their bodies meet first and then their lips collide in a long, loving kiss.

"Have I told you that I love you?" Betty checks as their lips break apart, but her hands stay holding his face, gently stroking his cheeks as her engagement ring sparkles. "Because, I do... I really,  _really_  do."

#

When Betty and Jughead arrive at the Cooper family home, Betty quickly learns that her parents aren't home. It's no surprise for Jughead seeing as he coordinated it with her parents in order for them to have the house to themselves to be able to watch movies and feast in celebration of their engagement, provided it all went well with the proposal. And, if not, Betty would have a nicely laid out lounge room to hibernate in with enough food to gorge on.

Holding the door open for her, Betty walks into her family's home first, instantly catching sight of the decorated lounge room that certainly wasn't like that when she left the house this morning. Suddenly, her mother taking her out shopping before she met up with Jughead at  _Pop's_  makes the world of sense.

"You did this?" Betty gasps as she turns to her boyfriend and then back to the lounge room. She doesn't know where to look in the room that is so familiar to her, yet so, so different...

After all, just when she thought Jughead was done with breathtaking surprises for today, he goes on to do it all again...

Looking around the room, the first thing that Betty notices is the obvious assortment of pillows and blankets that are laid on and scattered around the floor, looking so inviting. The coffee table in the center of the room is  _covered_. Her mouth waters upon catching sight of the platters of the platters and bowls that are filled with relatively healthy foods, with Betty and bubba's health in mind rather than his own personal preferences... There is popcorn and oven-baked corn chips in favour of chips; carrot and celery sticks with hummus in favour of cheese and crackers; dark chocolate coated strawberries in favour of lollies and chocolates... Then, beside a stack of her favourite movies is a big, steaming chicken casserole in the center of the coffee table. Jughead knows  _all_  about Betty's insatiable cravings for the protein over the last few months very well... Then, finally Betty notes the candles that are laid around the perimeter of the room that create the romantic ambiance in the room that is just simply her family's lounge room.

"Juggie..." she manages to get out before mouthing wordlessly for a few moments, losing her voice as she struggles to find the words.

Seeing the look on her speechless face is all the gratification that he needs.

"This is  _incredible_..."

Without another word, Betty takes steps to charge towards her fiancé with a clear focus in view. Her hands reach out to cup his cheeks and stabilize them both before her lips come crashing onto his in another collision that is filled with even more love and happiness between two teenagers,  _almost_  rivaling their first kiss as an engaged couple.

When they finally break apart all too soon for a much-needed deep breath, Betty is once again drawn to her surroundings after having just reflected her appreciation for it. As she heads for the plethora of pillows with a firm eye fixed on the food, Jughead helps his heavily pregnant fiancée down to the cushioned ground, tucking a knitted throw over her before joining her on the floor.

"You know, there is no way I am ever getting up from here" Betty chuckles to herself as she falls into him, resting on his chest as she rubs a hand over her baby belly with her new piece of jewellery glimmering gently in the dim lighting of the room.

" _Maybe_  that was my grand plan all along..."

Betty simply laughs at Jughead's quip, laying her other hand to his cheek, affectionately.

"Mm, there's nothing quite like a romantic evening with a beached whale..."

He just brushes off her self-deprecating comment before his hand joins hers on her stomach. After a few moments, he can feel movement beneath his palm. The baby's not quite kicking or rolling, but Jughead can  _feel_  bubba just being bubba; moving, twitching,  _whatever_  she might be doing from within the love of his life to bring a smile to his face in adoration of both of his girls.

Although they are sitting in comfortable silence, Jughead looks down to Betty a little apprehensively as he takes a deep breath. It's the first time his face looks anything  _but_  filled with delight since he received a 'yes' to one particular question that day.

"Betts? I want you to know that this isn't just a whim for me. I don't want you to think that proposing was just a sudden thing for me, like I'm trying to lock us down as a family after you had second thoughts."

Looking up to the man who holds her heart, Jughead is addressing the worries that she hasn't even had a chance to worry about yet. He knows her well enough to know that after the excitement dies down, Betty would begin to analyse their decision, to be entirely sure of it. And, while she may never question his  _motives_  surrounding the proposal, she may question his  _timing_.

"I didn't even think about-" Betty begins before he cuts her off.

"Good...  _Don't_. I actually put down the deposit on the ring nearly two months ago, not long after we found out bubba's a girl. But, if you need proof to be sure of my commitment to us, I even love you enough to let you go through my internet history, if you'd like. You can see how long I've been stalking jewelers Instagram pages and thinking about proposing for."

Despite his earnest explanation, Betty can't stifle her giggle.

"Letting me trawl through your history?  _That's_  true love..."

Jughead purses his lips together in the least convincing glare ever before he continues with his honest explanation.

"Originally I was planning to propose to you, but with the intentions of suggesting a long engagement."

" _Originally_?"

Her jokes are set aside as Betty looks to him seriously, wondering what has changed.

"Yeah, originally I was... But when I was looking into the legalities of underage engagements, I found a loophole, Betts..."

The confusion on Betty's face only intensifies and increases with Jughead's explanation which only raises more questions. Seeing the look on her face, he continues talking and he continues explaining. However, he can't hide his smile at what he's about to tell her.

"If a couple are married when a baby is born, the mother's husband is automatically  _presumed_  to be the baby's father, legally... If we're married, I'll automatically be classed as bubba's father on her birth certificate. We won't have to put ourselves on the line to lie about or falsify the documentation,  _The Law_  will recognise it. Then, because I'll be legally recognised as being her father, it would be virtually impossible for Chuck to ever fight us and contest my legal paternity. All three of us would be involved for him to ever be acknowledged as her father... We can protect bubba from him. And, no matter what Chuck might ever try to say, she would be  _ours_  in the eyes of The Law, too."

It takes a few minutes of silence before Jughead gets any response from Betty. But, then, he sees the gradual increase of moisture within her eyes as she begins to tear up. Through her flood of emotions, Betty can't even find the words to say to express her gratitude to Jughead before he sees her tears of joy at her dream coming true for her unborn child, only prompting him to continue talking.

"I love you, Betty... I love  _both_  of my girls" Jughead soothes as he slips a loving hand against her plump cheek, cupping the side of her tear-streaked face, continuing to speak.

"I want to marry you because I love  _you_. But, I want to do it so soon because I love  _bubba_."

Jughead's words break Betty as she is overcome with sobs at the man so perfect, she cannot believe him to be hers.

As he presses a loving kiss to the top of her golden locks, Jughead gently shifts her from his chest while he shuffles away from their spot within the haven of pillows and blankets, moving until he is crouched directly in front of her. Then, in a slow, yet fluid movement, Jughead positions himself on one knee before his tearful fiancée who giggles through her tears.

"Juggie... You already proposed, babe."

"I know, but I never got down on one knee at  _Pop's_  and I figure it's a rite of passage to do it once."

There's another giggle as Betty wipes her tear-filled, shining eyes.

"So what do you say?"

"I already  _said_  'yes' to you..."

"But what about the 'soon' part? Do you want to get married soon? Before bubba's born?"

" _Yes_ , you goof. Yes, yes,  _yes_..." Betty giggles, her eyes still gleaming with her tears of happiness that are sliding down her face, uncontrollably.

Then, this time, it's Jughead's turn to seal the deal with a kiss, despite the enormous grin on his face.

When they finally break apart for long enough to tear themselves away from each other, Betty doesn't go far as she collapses her head on his chest with a content sigh and a radiant smile. She's glowing.

"So, you really want to marry me, Mr. Jones?"

"More than anything else in the world..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked that one! Even though it was my plan for them to get engaged all along, I think I'd end up as a murdered writer if Betty had said no, ha ha. But I am curious to see what you all think about the idea of them getting married so soon.
> 
> Big, big thank yous to everyone who dropped a comment on the last chapter. I appreciate the feedback tremendously. Thank you.
> 
> Also, I started a Tumblr (riverheadcf). It'll be predominantly all Riverdale stuff and I plan to add little sneak peeks/updates on both of my stories on there. I'm going to add a picture of Betty's ring if you're interested in having a look-see, too. 
> 
> Next chapter: Betty & Jughead do a whole lot of telling. But, who isn't the happiest for the happy couple, raising their suspicions?
> 
> ... Love to Las Vegas and to every person (and their families) that has been affected on such an awful day.


	27. Soon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ END NOTE

**CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: Soon**

Later on that evening, Betty is resting against Jughead's chest contently as he plays with her golden locks. They've already watched one movie but after the screen went black, the couple have just stayed there sitting in silence, cuddled up together.

It's only as they hear the front door of the Cooper home open when the newly engaged couple quickly begin to untangle themselves from one another begrudgingly, as neither wants Betty's parents to see the intimacy of the moment that is just for them. Then, Jughead helps to raise his heavily pregnant fiancée up from where they have spent the evening curled up on the floor of her lounge room that had been transformed with a plethora of blankets and pillows in the candle-lit room, just as her parents walk in.

"We're home..." Alice says in a sing-song tone as she waltzes into the room with a small smirk present on the corner of her lips. Knowing Jughead's plans for the evening, Alice is desperate to know the result. However, she doesn't want her reaction to prove premature in case it hadn't gone well or Jughead hadn't followed through with his plans for some reason.

"Hi mum and dad..." Betty smiles, finding her head falling back against Jughead's shoulder, unable to tear herself apart for long as they stand side-by-side, united, while her parents walk into the lounge room. "How was your night?"

Hal responds with a 'fine', while Alice is far less discreet.

"How was yours?"

From where the young couple are standing together, arms around each other's waists, the two look to each other and then to her parents and Betty holds her hand out to confirm what her parents -especially her mother- are  _really_  wanting to know.

Alice's face lights up with pent-up excitement for her daughter, while Hal looks a little deflated with an obligatory, gritted smile on his lips. It's as though although he had given Jughead permission to marry his daughter, he had done it with the hope that her answer wouldn't be affirmative and, now, that chance is gone, too.

"Congratulations" Alice smiles as she opens her arms to her youngest daughter, walking over to give her a big hug.

The mother-daughter duo hug each other and squeeze, and smile, basking in the younger girl's excitement together before they pull away as Betty shows her engagement ring off. As he watches on from right beside them, it still shocks the pants off Jughead that he has his soon-to-be mother-in-law's approval.

But, the truth is that Alice Cooper just wants the best for daughters.

For the longest time, 'the best' meant pushing them, encouraging them and being the driving force to make them the best they could be, with successful careers in mind. However, history had repeated itself and both Polly and Betty's lives had changed drastically upon following in their mothers footsteps to result in a trio of teenage pregnancies.

With Polly, Alice had made the mistakes she needed to learn from. After all, at first, Polly's pregnancy had thrown her for six. So, when Hal's deep-seated hatred of the Blossom family had possessed him to do everything in his power to try and force her to end her pregnancy before taking action to send her away and have her separated from her babies, Alice had just sat back and watched, like an onlooker in her own life.

The way that both Hal and Alice had tackled Polly's pregnancy had been an enormous learning curve that almost marked the ending of the Cooper family.

So, when just mere months later Betty announced her own pregnancy, both Hal and Alice had been determined not to relive their mistakes they had made with their eldest daughter that had gone on to tear their family apart.

As a result, with her changing view on what is 'the best' for her youngest daughter, Alice has come to learn that Jughead -the man standing by her daughter and her unborn granddaughter- comes under that umbrella. So, when Jughead had asked for Hal and Alice's permission to marry Betty, Alice couldn't stand in the way of what she has come to realise is now 'the best' for her daughter who has been preparing to raise a family with the man that has stood by her out of  _love_  over responsibility.

"Congratulations, Jug-head" Alice smiles as she moves from her daughter to her son-in-law, still enunciating his name like no one else.

Hal follows suit, notably less enthused than his wife. However, he too had seen the consequences of the way that he had handled Polly's pregnancy and he knew that had to bridle himself from his instincts, avoiding making the same mistakes over with Betty. So, he gives his daughter a brief hug and shakes Jughead's hand firmly.

With the congratulations over with, Betty leans back against her fiancé, looking to her parents. Betty knows that they had been expecting his proposal after he had first asked their permission, but she also knows that they don't know the time-frame of just how soon she and Jughead are intending to marry.

"Mum and dad... There's one other thing. We want to do it  _soon_... We want to get married before the baby's born."

Alice's face is rocked with surprise while Hal's eyebrows furrow seriously. He hadn't quite gotten over the idea of his youngest getting married, let alone if she's going to do it so soon.

"We want to marry each other and sooner or later, we're going to be husband and wife" Betty smiles, her heart skipping with warmth just from the idea of the words that spring from her lips. "It shouldn't matter to you  _when_  that happens, because the end result will be the same. But, it does matter to us because if we get married before the baby's born, Jughead will be acknowledged as her father legally, too."

At the revelation, the two elder Coopers look to one another before their gaze returns to their hopeful daughter.

"We'll talk about it."

Betty finds a slither of comfort in knowing that their answer is not a straight-out 'no'. However, Betty still worries about the discussion that will be raised between her parents, knowing that she and Jughead's plans are hinging on their approval and without their signing off on it, their wedding may be off before it's even on...

#

The following morning, Jughead and Betty are sitting together, their feet tangled together below the table as they busily research everything and anything related to weddings. Fortunately, the couple's engagement has just come just after exams and with a few weeks breaks, it has given Betty the opportunity to dig her heels into wedding planning.

Provided that they have the permission of Betty's parents and Jughead's father, they are planning to marry in three Saturday's time; just under three weeks off Betty's due date. However, thus far this morning, neither Cooper parent has been seen or heard from, both buried away in their bedroom.

Jughead and Betty have decided on small, simple and sweet as the theme for their wedding; partly by choice, partly by circumstance knowing there is a hell of a lot planning to be done in such a small amount of time.

Betty has tasked Jughead to work out the factual details; finding out how much time in advance they need in order to register the 'intention to marry' documents, learning how long it will take to receive their marriage certificate and checking how they need to go about their wedding given they are underage.

Meanwhile, across from him at the table, Betty is frantically pinning flower arrangements on Pinterest, searching for maternity wedding dresses in the area and looking for venues nearby as she speaks up, catching Jughead's attention from his head as it closes in on his laptop.

"A year ago, if someone had asked me if there was any chance that I'd get married in high school, I would have had a panic attack just at the thought of it... But this feels like the right decision for us, Juggie" Betty explains with a smile, shifting her position to lovingly look over to her fiancé as she continues to speak.

"I'm excited, but I feel so calm about it... I was always the little girl who would dream about the perfect wedding, you know that, but now the finer details just don't matter. Marrying you is the important thing...  _That's_  all I want."

He smiles at her across the table, remembering well all the lunchtimes that they'd spent as children when Betty would bore himself and Archie stiff, as she talked about weddings and bridesmaids and dresses dreamily.

"Same, Betts.  _Sure_ , we might be getting married a lot younger than most people, but we're doing a lot of things a lot younger than most people..."

The couple are interrupted and both bolt upright in their seats as they hear the door of Betty's parents bedroom being opened and then closed seconds later. Then, slowly, both Alice and Hal trail out and over to the dining table that they are seated at, the older two looking over at the younger two dauntingly; appearing so much taller than they are in that moment.

"Okay. We agree to let you get married before the baby's born. However, we have a number of conditions... After the wedding, you will both stay here and live with us until you have enough to afford a deposit on your own place. The baby can take Polly's old room to give you two enough space. Jughead, we expect you to get a part-time job and Betty, we will send you articles from  _The Register_  to edit in your free time for a bit of extra money. We expect that ninety-percent of your income will go towards either saving up or on supplies for the baby. And, you only have a little over a year left of school and we want you to both finish up and get your Diplomas. It's going to be extremely hard work for the both of you, but we are willing to try and support you with looking after the baby in order to juggle everything, if needed. So, if you think you can handle all of that -juggling your circumstances while preparing for the future- then you have our permission."

Jughead and Betty share a glance, only needing the briefest to moment to confirm that they both share the same answer.

Then, Betty is quick to try and rise from her seat, awkwardly manoeuvring her stomach to stand up and walk over to her parents, giving them both a grateful hug followed by Jughead's own appreciative 'thank yous'.

"Now there's just one more person we need permission from..."

#

After a few more hours of more intensive wedding planning, the couple had arranged to meet with Jughead's father at his trailer to share the news of their engagement along with seeking his permission for Jughead to marry Betty, before going on to tell their closest friends the same news later on in the day.

In his research that morning, Jughead had learnt that seeing as he has been living with solely his father and because he has been independent from his mother for several years since she left with his younger sister, Jughead only needs his father's permission to legally marry Betty.

Approaching the front door of his father's trailer, Betty gives Jughead's hand a squeeze from where she's holding his hand with one of hers while snaking the other around their linked hands like a hook.

"Nervous?" Betty asks, looking to her fiancé with concern. Jughead just presses a brief kiss to her cheek, failing to answer her question and doing nothing to alleviate her worries about him. Then, as he knocks on the door, it's too late for her to say or do anything more for him as they wait side-by-side in the silence until Jughead's father answers the door.

"Come on in, you two" FP says with a smile at his expected visitors.

Jughead holds the door open for Betty as the heavily pregnant teenager waddles over to the lounge, flopping down in the seat that she's sure that she'll ever get back up again from as Jughead takes his seat beside her, resting a hand on her knee as she hooks her arm around his, hiding her ring.

"So, how have things been? Everything going well with bubs?"

FP says, asking the couple who have taken their seat at the lounge together the questions as he trails in after them, taking a seat on the single seater across from them.

"We're all good... There's not much time left before we meet our little girl so the nerves are starting to kick in, but other than that I'm going as well as can be expected for a beached whale" Betty explains conversationally, receiving a nod and suppressed chuckle from Jughead's father in response.

"So you said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah... I have a big favour to ask you, dad. But, before that, Betty and I have got some news."

FP nods silently, prompting the couple to tell him what they are here to say.

"Dad... Betty and I got engaged last night."

The older man's face lights up. He has always approved of his son's girlfriend and he loves the side of Jughead that she brings out in him. So, in short, he's been rooting for them to be endgame right from day-dot.

"Congratulations!" FP grins, rising to his feet to firstly wrap his son in a man-hug before moving to the young girl by his side, bending down to give the seated teenager a big, warm hug. "That's fantastic news! Congrats to you both."

Jughead gives his father a brief smile while Betty's lingers, enjoying seeing just how pleased with the news her future father-in-law quite clearly is.

"Thanks dad. But that brings me to my question... Betty and I are planning to get married soon, as in before-the-baby's-born  _soon_. But, seeing as I'm not over eighteen yet, I need your consent to marry Betty."

FP's expression grows serious as he thinks over what his son is asking of him for just a moment before he gives his definitive response.

"Of course I'll do it. As long as you're sure that this the best thing for the three of you and you're both sure that you can make it work, who am I to stand in your way? You've already had to be enough of an adult for someone your age, son."

"Thanks dad" Jughead says with a small smile in his father's direction before turning to Betty as that smile only increases with the realisation that their last hurdle is now out of their way.

Now, there's nothing else stopping them from being Mr. and Mrs. Jones in just a few short weeks...

#

After a quick hot drink, Betty and Jughead leave his father's trailer and head straight for  _Pop's_  where they are uncharacteristically late to meet up with their friends. In fact, as Jughead and Betty stroll in together –keeping one hand hidden- they quickly note that Veronica and Kevin have already arrived and beaten them to it.

"Three minutes late. Tut tut, Betty Cooper. What would Mama Coop say?" Kevin teases as Jughead helps Betty into the booth before sliding in alongside her.

"Never mind that" Veronica counters, her hands clapping down on the table in front of them dramatically. "I just want to know why we've all been gathered here today."

Betty just shrugs, keeping the beans well-sealed until the fifth member of their group comes racing in just a few minutes later. Archie takes a seat at the next booth over, leaning over the back of Kevin and Veronica's seat to look over to his friends.

"Sorry I'm late" Archie apologises habitually; it's really just his standard greeting upon arriving anywhere and everywhere.

"Buy yourself a watch" Kevin snipes bluntly.

Apparently Archie's late arrival has put Kevin in a mood for delaying the delivery of gossip. So, he turns to the expectant couple, hurrying along their news by trying to prompt them to fill in the blanks as he trails off. "So, we're gathered here today  _because_..."

"Jughead and I have some news..." Betty begins, looking over to her fiancé, who just gives her the nod to go ahead with delivering their secret to their closest friends.

"We're engaged."

There's a flurry of gasps and excited " _Congratulations!_ " as Betty smiles, looking across at their friends while her concealed left hand makes its way out of her pocket to show Veronica who's just about exploding to catch a glimpse of the blonde's new piece of jewellery.

The initial buzz dies down after each friend has congratulated both halves of the couple before Veronica and Kevin gush over Betty's engagement ring, declaring themselves as Betty's chief-wedding-planning-assistants.

"So you'll have a nice, long engagement, right?" Veronica checks, swirling her straw in her chocolate milkshake before her gaze returns to her best friend across the table.

Betty nips at her lip, glancing over to Jughead before preparing to tell their friends the second half of their news.

"Actually... Juggie and I are planning to get married soon; in three Saturday's time."

Three pairs of eyes shoot up to the couple, looking at them as though they're possessed. Archie is the first to break the silence with a smirk and an ironic remark.

"What's the rush guys? Is Betty pregnant or something?"

Jughead rolls his eyes at Archie's smart remark while Betty suppresses a smirk.

"Seriously though... What  _is_  the rush? You're both so young. You don't have to get married just because you're having a baby..." Archie says with a visible frown to complement his furrowed eyebrows.

"We know we don't have to, but we do  _want_  to. Besides, we're not quite your typical seventeen-year-old's, are we?"

Meanwhile, despite her initial excitement for her best friend, Veronica's intense gaze hasn't shifted as she watches Betty across the table with a serious frown after hearing her plans to marry her boyfriend so quickly.

Then, as her concern gets the better of her all of a sudden, Veronica bolts up in her seat and commands to speak to Betty alone for a minute, just about shoving Jughead out of his seat in order to help her get up as she whisks the pregnant blonde outside.

"A shotgun wedding, Betty?! Is that  _really_  what you want? Why do you feel the need to marry Jughead so quickly? It just feels like there's something you're not telling us, B. For a really long time I've thought that, but I've just ignored whatever it is that seems like a touchy subject. But I can't put it aside if it means you're legally binding yourself to Jughead for the wrong reasons or out of obligation..."

In front of the fired-up Latina, Betty stands there uncomfortably, wrapping her arms around her baby belly as she nips at the corner of her lip. She can see the well-meaning concern on of one of her best friend's faces who speaks up in Betty's silence.

"Betty, _what_  is going on?!"

Exhaling the deepest sigh, Betty takes Veronica's hand and leads her back into  _Pop's_. The raven-haired-girl follows Betty's lead, returning to her own seat as the blonde slides back to Jughead's side.

Then, taking Jughead's hand in her own, Betty looks into his eyes deeply, sadly, trying to convey to him what she's about to do.

"There's something else you all should know... What I'm about to tell you doesn't change anything, okay? But, you are our friends and you should know."

Instantly, Jughead reaches out to Betty anxiously, gently grabbing for her shoulder before she says another word.

"Betts, we don't have to do this now..."

Betty just gives her fiancé a small, appreciative smile and her eyes grow a little moist as she nods at him, just taking his hand in hers.

" _Yes_ , we do. They're going to find out soon enough, anyway..." Betty replies softly, referring to the fact that in just a few short weeks, their friends will come to realise the hole in their story when they meet Betty and Jughead's newborn, only to learn that she looks absolutely nothing like him.

Betty quickly glances around them in their booth at  _Pop's_ , ensuring that no one else is in earshot. Then, she takes a big, deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as she tightens her clutch on Jughead's hand.

"It's about the baby... Jughead's not her biological father."

Veronica gasps out loud, realising just how right her suspicions were... Archie's face creases to a frown as he looks between Betty and Jughead, trying to piece together what is going on... Kevin's jaw drops dramatically as he claps a hand over his mouth at the words he can barely believe... Meanwhile, Jughead winces at Betty's words; the reminder of what they are both living with trying to forget...

In the silence as she takes in the reactions of her closest friends, Betty continues to speak and explain before they have a chance to speak up in response.

"I'm sorry I haven't told you sooner. But, before you ask who  _is_ , I just want to say that it doesn't matter who her biological father is because she is going to Jughead's daughter and  _that's_  what matters... Maybe one day we can tell you the whole story, but I need you to appreciate that it is a complicated matter and an extremely sensitive subject. It doesn't change the fact that it's Jughead and I that are having this baby."

After Betty gets her explanation out in the open with a little huff before swiping at her eye that is growing a little damp, everyone stays in complete and total silence. No one knows quite what to say quite what to do or say, so they don't say anything.

In the silence, Betty's free hand comes to her burgeoning baby belly as she begins to rub it a little fearfully, filled with nerves and apprehension before she continues to speak and explain.

"Please be happy for us... Juggie and I are having a baby and we are getting married and we want our best friends to be there and to be happy for us in a few weeks time when both of those things happen. Now, I know it's all a big shock for you, but I hope you all can bring yourself to do that for us."

Looking to his fiancée beside him, Jughead can see Betty's growing distress as their friends fail to respond to their big news at all. So, he takes her hand in his with a reassuring squeeze, adding to the explanation that she has been giving them, only for Betty's sake more so than their friends'.

"Look, we're telling you this because we trust you and we trust you to respect our decisions and be happy for us. If  _we're_  okay with our circumstances, we want you all to be, too."

Archie is the first to break free from the silence that he had been stunned into, looking between his two best friends.

"So you knew that the baby wasn't yours, Jug?"

Jughead nods before answering the red-head that's leaning over the booth.

"Yeah... All along I knew that it was impossible for me to be the dad. That's why we broke up briefly before the school found out about Betty's pregnancy... She broke up with me because we both knew it wasn't mine. But Betty has never lied or deceived me about anything; I've only ever been involved in this  _willingly_... So even though you know the truth, it shouldn't change anything for you because it doesn't change anything for us. To me, this baby is my daughter, I just know that she's going to look a hell of a lot more like Betty than she will look like me. But, she's  _still_  going to be my little girl... "

Taking a deep breath after his little speech that leaves him a little nervous from the vulnerability of it, Jughead's eyes fall to the woman beside him who is clutching his hand. The way that his words have touched her are evident in her emerald green eyes as they grow both a little watery and a little red. She mouths the words  _'thank you'_  as she gives his hands a warm squeeze.

Then, the couple's little bubble is burst as they turn back to their friends who are slowly coming-to.

"Well in that case, I stand by my congratulations... I wish both of you all the best" Archie says with a warm and genuine smile towards his two oldest and closest friends who he had grown up beside, gladly being there to watch their life continue to blossom together as they form their own little family.

Kevin is the next to speak while Veronica remains sitting back in her seat, observing warily.

"Let me know how I can help. Planning a wedding before bubs is born won't be easy, but I'm happy to be of assistance to get you guys across the line if that's what you both genuinely want."

Betty thanks her two male friends profusely, doing nothing to extinguish the tears in her eyes that Jughead had induced minutes earlier. Then, four sets of eyes turn to the raven-haired girl sitting in the booth opposite from the happy couple.

"B... Can I speak to you for a moment again?" Veronica says as she finally breaks her silence, getting out from the booth before helping her heavily pregnant friend up as she had a few minutes ago as her expression remains completely blank.

Veronica decisively leads Betty to the other side of the room while the blonde waddles along following behind her. Then laying a hand to her best friend's shoulder, the Latina's blank expression is replaced with clear concern.

"Betty... I know there's more to the story. I've been able to tell that for quite a long time but this first time I've needed to address it...  _Are you okay_? I need to know that you're okay, that you're happy with Jughead, with getting married, with everything that's happening very, very quickly if I'm going to support this. If you're not, tell me and I'll help you. I just need to know that you're okay, that you're safe, that you're happy..."

The reassuring smile that Betty gives one of her best friend's does the world of good from seeing Veronica's concern for her, appreciating that and trying to reassure her of her answer to her own question.

"Thank you, V. Thank you for caring. But, honestly, I am okay and safe and happy,  _now_... In fact, I am so, so happy with Jughead, I'm happier than I ever thought I could be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who read & commented on the last chapter. I hope you liked this one, too! Now, I've tried to slowly develop Jughead's approval with Betty's parents and Alice especially so I hope you found their reaction understandable, as well as FP's. Also, their friends finally know! Well, part of it, at least. I know a lot of you have been waiting for that for a long time so I hope you liked the way that panned out.
> 
> Also, I have a big issue to put to you. Now, it won't be long before bubba's born in the story and originally I had another really big plot planned out, entailing another mystery that will encompass the town. However, I'm at a bit of a crossroads... I'm not sure if this story is still something that people are interested in and after bubba's born, I can tie everything up neatly and leave it there... Or, I can go down the path that I originally planned to take and go into the mystery. I would like to do the mystery as I'm happy with the way I have planned for it to unfold, but I just don't know how worthwhile my time would be if people aren't really that interested in the story continuing for much longer. So, please, please, please let me know what you think; wrap it up or let the mystery play out?
> 
> Next chapter: It's Jughead and Betty's big day! However, Betty's scars resurface...
> 
> Also, bring on Wednesday (or Thursday for other's like me)!


	28. The (Im) Perfect Day

**CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: The (Im) Perfect Day**

Three frantic weeks of planning and preparing flew by and in the blink of an eye, the big day had come...

In planning her own wedding, the girl who had spent her childhood daydreams up on imagining the perfect wedding had been quick to reach a conclusion. Just as with everything else in her life, Betty realised that 'perfection' is anything but. Perfection is just the superficial concealer to hide the imperfections and blemishes of reality that fester beneath the surface...

So, Betty Cooper decided that she didn't want the 'perfect' wedding day; the several hundred dollar wedding dress, the hundreds of guests she doesn't really know or care about to make up numbers and a seven-tier wedding cake flown in from a Parisian pâtissier that would only accrue debt for herself and her family all for just one day, with no bearing on the most important detail. Instead, 'sweet', 'simple' and 'them' have been the words to define the shotgun wedding planned entirely within three weeks.

Perhaps she used to want all that and more, but that was the Betty Cooper who dreamed of perfection with a different groom; thriving off of the idea of a future with Archie Andrews, complete with the white picket fence, the two and a half kids; the power couple.

However, in contrast to the image of forming a perfect power couple with Archie, what she had found with Jughead Jones was so much more beautiful, because it is  _real_. Ironically, it is so much  _more_  perfect for being so vastly  _im_ perfect.

After all, in this reality, Betty isn't the picture-perfect wife in the 1950's golden family as she had dreamed about for years... No, Betty's the's the scarred, damaged young girl who has suffered through far more horrific things than most people have ever had to endure... She's  _her_. Meanwhile, Jughead is the broken teenager who hasn't belonged for longer than he has... He's  _him_. And, those two people who needed loyalty, stability and -more than anything else- unconditional love, had found each other, finding what they needed in one another.

So, now it doesn't matter if the balance between soft pink roses and white lilies in her bouquet isn't quite right... It doesn't matter if her soft curls that are beautiful nonetheless don't turn out quite how she imagined... It doesn't matter that her wedding dress isn't a Vera Wang frock or a gown that she's been lusting over on Pinterest for years... It doesn't matter that she decided on Jughead's pick of a wedding cake over her own personal preference...

As long as long as she is Mrs. Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third by the end of the day, none of the little details matter. After all, hearing two little words from the man she loves, after repeating their lifelong vows to one another is what  _does_.

#

The last Saturday in February is one of the last wintry days for the year. However, it is still a frosty and bitterly cold day when one very heavily pregnant, teenage girl wakes up as Betty Cooper for the very last time.

Yet, despite the cold outside, nothing can dim the radiant glow and the warmth of her heart at the prospect of marrying the love of her life. After all, today marks the day when the two childhood friends who became unlikely lovers and undeniable soul mates prepare to commit themselves to one another and to their expanding family, forever...

#

Very early on in their rushed wedding planning, Betty and Jughead had opted for a simple wedding at City Hall. After all, finding an alternate venue at the last minute would create more trouble than its worth and the empty chairs in the larger spaces would only magnify the lack of guests, rather than emphasize the intended intimacy of the occasion seeing as they had only invited a select few, their nearest dearest, to share their special day with them.

The guest list consisted of family predominantly –her parents, his parents, Polly, her newborn twins and Jellybean- with just a few friends invited; namely Archie, Veronica and Kevin. Beyond their friends families, Jughead and Betty kept their engagement quiet as the couple knew that the only thing that would come from the rest of the town hearing that the two teenagers were set to be married would be judgement.

Despite the small wedding, Jughead and Betty had selected low-key bridesmaids and groomsmen, mostly for the sake of having their friends stand by their side. Jughead had chosen his father and his childhood friend, with the only indicator of being groomsmen evident in the white rose that is lapeled to their own suits.

Meanwhile, wanting everyone to be as comfortable as they can, hoping for the least stress possible, Betty just told her bridesmaids –Polly and Veronica- to find a dress in a similar shade of dusty pink that they love and that they felt suited them. After all, it would taking six months alone to find a dress that suited Polly's typically slim, breastfeeding-mother, frame as well as it would show of Veronica's more curvaceous build. As a result, Veronica chose a lacy, shorter and more tight-fitting dress that exposed her shoulders, in a lighter shade of dusty pink that only accentuated her tanned skin, while Polly picked a long, slimming dress that happened to have a similar lacy bodice to Veronica's, before flowing out loosely beyond a light pink silk belt. Thankfully the 'Betty Cooper colour' only enhanced Veronica's golden, tanned skin while also bringing a little colour to complement Polly's fair hair and colouring.

#

Waiting nervously, standing among their guests, Jughead is attempting to ignore his nerves, his churning stomach, the quiet and the nonsensical whispers of insecurity in the back of his mind asking him: ' _but what if she_ _ **doesn't**_ _turn up?_ ' as he attempts to quash his fears by concentrating his attention to where is gaze is fixed down on the marble flooring.

From where he stands there, he waits and twitches and readjusts his new suit. Despite all the sentimentality that his old suit had held, Jughead had splashed out and bought a brand new suit for his wedding day.

However, the real controversy over the groom's attire had been in the lead up to his wedding, concerning a certain, knitted garment when Veronica had made a passing comment, a week or so before the big day.

" _Honestly, one of the things I'm most looking forward to about the wedding seeing is you without that hat on, Jughead..."_

" _Who says I'm not wearing it?"_

Veronica's remark and Jughead's response had caused quite the stir and debate between their friends, just a week ago, until it ended with Betty's final say on the matter as she addressed her husband-to-be on the matter in front of their friends.

" _Look. The little details don't matter. Our wedding is about you and me. I want you to be happy and I want you to be comfortable... Wear it, Juggie."_

Jughead had appreciated his fiancée's backing in the debate. But, he'd appreciated it even  _more_  after seeing her little glimpse of hesitation over the idea of him wearing his trademark beanie when he had first responded to Veronica.

So, thinking about the look on her face that told him what she  _really_  thought and what she  _really_  wanted despite her words to contrary as she proceeded to support him is what had resulted in Veronica's wish coming true, with a beanie-less Jughead standing there waiting for his bride-to-be...

Meanwhile, shunning the 'fashionably late' attitude for a bride, Betty arrives minutes earlier than she needed to; unable to shake the habit after years of punctuality. Yet, her husband-to-be and their small groups of guests are already there, already waiting.

Suddenly, hearing a flurry of soft gasps and whispers from their guests surrounding him, a nervous Jughead can't keep his eyes on the ground any longer. Looking up, all eyes are on the golden-blonde young girl as she, her sister and Veronica arrive, joining Jughead and their other guests.

Everything about his bride-to-be is radiant...

Her green eyes sparkle more than they have in months, her cheeks are glowing from far more than a generous sweeping of highlighter and, her smile that she can't wipe from her lips spreads, permeating across her face.

As his heart races, Jughead can't wipe the shy smile off his face, as if struggling to believe that the most beautiful woman in the world is there to marry  _him_...

He is absolutely  _smitten_.

Meanwhile, as she approaches her groom, seeing the look on Jughead's face sends a blush over Betty's cheeks as her own gaze falls to the ground, suddenly a little coy from seeing the intensity of love in his eyes. But, her downward gaze doesn't last long and before she knows it, her eyes are locked with his once again, unable to tear herself away from looking at him.

Despite her initial jokes to just throw on a big, white tent to adorn her eight-month pregnant figure, thanks to a lot of research on Veronica's part, the two had tracked down a maternity store nearby that specifically catered to formal gowns.

Her dress is a beautiful crisp white, consisting of lace sleeves that span halfway down her arms, then back up to adorn her shoulders and her back. The material glides over her baby belly where her daughter grows within, the fabric flowing down to her knees. It was the one and only dress she had tried on had been the one without doubt and after that, Betty couldn't even imagine a wedding dress  _without_  her baby belly now.

She looks beautiful, ethereal, and Jughead has to pinch himself to ensure it's not all just one hell of a dream...

It's not a dream, he confirms as she approaches his side and he slips his hand into hers, stroking against the outer-side of her clammy palms that tell of her good type of nervousness that hasn't caused her hands to clench into fists.

"Hey there, Juliet..." Jughead whispers. He speaks unintentionally quietly from the sight of the woman in front of him who has quite literally taken his breath away as he swallows, feeling his mouth run dry.

Then, before she says a word, Jughead checks one more detail, knowing the importance of consent in Betty's life after everything she's been through.

"So you're sure you want to do this?"

Looking down to his bride-to-be, their hands still entwined, Jughead just receives the biggest smile from the most beautiful girl in the world before feeling her strong squeeze of reassurance from their interlocked hands that is enough to convey her complete confidence and her affirmative answer in response to his question.

...  _There's no doubt about it._

#

The nuptials begin with the opening words from the celebrant as he addresses the couple in front of their family and friends and the ceremony seems to lapse in the blink of an eye when the time finally comes for the teenagers to vow themselves to one another, forever.

Jughead clenches the hands of the love of his life as he pours his heart out to her, revealing:

"Life has never been something that I've been awfully fond of. I've never thought of myself as being overly lucky. But, you have turned my life around, Betts. All my luck in life has been spent on the privilege of being able to call you mine and I couldn't be more glad about that... I can't wait for the rest of my life with you, with our family and with our bubba... I know I might not have been able to give you the perfect wedding day that you deserve and I can't afford a home of our own just yet, but to make up for that I want to spend the rest of our lives trying to give you the world."

After she takes a long, deep breath at hearing his words that have choked her up and brought tears to her eyes, Betty strokes Jughead's hands with her thumbs from where their hands are entangled together in front of the celebrant, their family and their friends as she so earnestly proclaims:

"Thank you for loving my imperfection. Thank you for your kind, loving heart that bubba and I have been enormous recipients of. Thank you for  _everything_ , Jughead Jones... Thank you for being there through the worst. You've seen my darkest days, and you were right there by my side through it all... I want to do the same for you, forever. Through every dark day, through everything life throws at you, at me, at us, I want to be right there, by your side,  _always_."

Then, with two golden rings that shine as brightly as the prospect of their future together, two teenagers who have already been through hell-and-back in their short lives enjoy the moment of bliss and joy as Mr. and Mrs. Jones are pronounced husband and wife.

#

The second half of the day's proceedings had meant that the newlyweds and their guests relocated from City Hall to  _Pop's_   _Chock'lit Shoppe_  for Mr. and Mrs. Jones's wedding reception.

Betty had feared for her mother's sanity and well-being when she announced that she and Jughead had chosen the small town's diner as the venue for their wedding reception. However,  _even_  Alice Cooper has to admit that the establishment has been embellished nicely to give Betty and Jughead's special place an added classiness and charm, appropriate for their wedding.

After they asked to use the diner for their wedding reception, Pop Tate had been more than obliging, honoured even, to clear his diner out for the day for the couple; the teenagers he'd witnessed grow up and then fall in love before his very eyes.

In the diner, flowers are in place of the napkin holders, a guest book is in place of the sauce and condiments counter, the pie-of-the-day display is replaced with a decadent, Jughead-approved wedding cake and little lights are spread across the perimeter of the room's walls, complementing the diner's neon surprisingly well.

The newlyweds are sat at their own booth -the one Jughead had proposed in- with the surrounding booths being filled by her family, his family and then one for their closest friends.

An abundance of food has just been set down at the newlyweds table and Jughead hadn't wasted a second before digging in. While Betty began with daintily eating a few fries to start with, Jughead is up to his elbows in grease from his burger that's been wolfed down in seconds.

Finishing her fry, Betty's eyes are locked on the man beside her, filled with so much love and adoration. She can't help the smile on her face as she brushes a hand against his cheek, without interrupting his meal as he feasts on his second burger.

"You look like a pig in mud, Jughead Jones..."

" _Pop's_  burgers after marrying the love of my life? This right here is the Jughead Jones definition of  _heaven_ , wifey."

A smile springs to the corners of Betty's lips from her new title as she repeats it.

"Wifey?"

"Uh-huh..." Jughead acknowledges, finishing off his burger in one final, swift mouthful before wiping his hands with a napkin. " _Wifey_."

Betty's smile only increases, rolling her eyes as she gives his face a final stroke before returning to her own food with half the appetite as her husband. After just a few mouthfuls, Betty collapses her head against Jughead's chest, relaxing into him.

"Dance with me?" Betty murmurs into him. The further her pregnancy has progressed, the earlier and earlier she feels ready to crash each day. Consequently, she knows that if she doesn't get up and dance with her new husband soon, they may not ever have their first dance. Besides, she knows that she will be a puffing mess, struggling to breath, within minutes, saving Jughead -who is  _not_  a dancer- by the bell.

In response to Betty's question, Jughead just shuffles away from her in the booth from where she had been leaning against him. He scoots out of the booth and bows down in front of her, holding a hand out to help her out from her seat. With a giggle, Betty takes his hand gratefully as Jughead helps her up, bringing her to stand by his side.

The newlyweds slowly make their way to the small area that had been set aside for dancing, right near the entrance of  _Pop's._ Instantly, Jughead's hands slide around his new wife's waist as hers sling around either side of his neck. Neither of them can take their eyes off each other as they dance gently in a slow, swaying rhythm to the slow song playing in the background.

"Have I told you how breathtakingly beautiful you look today, wifey? I mean it. You are  _literally_ breathtaking..."

Jughead's compliment spreads a natural smile across Betty's lips, bringing a shy blush to her cheeks. Leaving one hand still slung around and hooked on his neck, Betty brings her other to rest on her husband's chest.

"You don't scrub up too bad, yourself, Mr. Jones... Your wife is a lucky lady" Betty smiles, stretching up on her tippy toes to press a kiss to his lips.

Just as his comment had brought a smile to Betty's lips, her own compliment has the same effect on him as two green eyes go wandering while both her arms sling back around his neck and they continue their gentle swaying until Betty speaks up once again.

"You know what? I think we can make it to seventy..."

Looking down at her a little strangely, his eyebrows furrowed, Jughead looks for clarification.

"We can make it to seventy  _what_?"

"Seventy years" she states simply, looking up to him with conviction and an unwavering expression. "I think we can make it to our seventieth anniversary... We'll be in our late eighties. It's doable. As long as  _you_  tone down on the burgers to keep your cholesterol under control, I think we can make it..."

Jughead just chuckles at her jibe, pressing a kiss to her forehead in confirmation of her remark.

"We can do it. No doubt about it. Even  _with_  my thirst for burgers."

Betty rolls her eyes at her groom for a moment, unable to stay even the least bit annoyed with him. However, her expression quickly changes as light fills her eyes and Jughead recognises it as the look she gets whenever she can feel the baby kicking.

Consequently, he gently presses a hand against her baby belly and after a moment of trying to find the spot, sure enough through Betty's wedding dress, he can feel their daughter kicking like it's going out of fashion, Jughead's smile mirroring hers. He lowers his head, pressing their foreheads together as they slowly sway back and forth, feeling her unborn baby.

"So, this morning, Archie was the  _worst_  best man..." Jughead begins, trailing off and leaving a curious look on Betty's face. "He came in looking like he'd seen a ghost before he told me that Veronica called him and said you were in labour..."

Betty can see Jughead's lingering scar that the scare from earlier that day has left and her husband shudders just at the thought of it as he shares their friend's prank with her. She just chuckles, clapping a hand to his cheek affectionately.

"Aw, Juggie... Don't worry. I think that bubba has made herself quite comfortable in there. I don't think we'll be getting an appearance anytime soon. I think, in fact, I'm  _sure_  that I'm going to go over my due date. She's in no hurry."

"I'm okay with that... I'm happy to spend as much time as I can with one of my girls before my other one steals my attention away. But, fortunately Archie's prank did help me to see that I'm going to need to be a bit more prepared. It could happen any day, any hour. I need to know where the damn keys are..."

Betty just smiles and presses another kiss to Jughead's lips before her hand joins his on her stomach.

"Don't worry. We'll be ready and we'll know where the keys are. But, let's forget about that for now... It's not her day just yet and I'm not quite ready for  _our_  day to be over yet..."

#

Jughead and Betty hadn't arranged a honeymoon, knowing that while Betty's due date is still three weeks off, D-day could arrive any day now. So, they decided to take a proper honeymoon later down the track when the baby is old enough to be left with others, perhaps combining a belated honeymoon with an end-of-school celebration or first anniversary.

However, Veronica's wedding present to the newlyweds is a four night stay at The Pembroke, with twenty-four-hour room service all bought and paid for; with the groom in mind especially.

As happy as she is, Betty has felt a sudden surge of anxiety rising within her since they arrived at their hotel... She's nervous, plain and simple. After all, their wedding had rolled around so quickly and within just a month they have gone from dating to married.

In that time and with all the distractions of planning the wedding, Betty hasn't quite had time to think about what is expected of her and what would happen  _after_  the wedding. As a result, Betty hasn't had quite had enough time to wrap her head around the idea of she and Jughead consummating their marriage after her one, horrific sexual encounter in her life, almost nine months ago.

So, walking in hand-in-hand with Jughead, Betty's eyes are down to ground as she focuses on keeping her breathing calm and steady. He had offered to carry her in, but she took a raincheck for  _both_  their sakes.

"Fancy..." is Jughead's icebreaking comment as he walks into the lavish hotel suite, trying to remember if he's ever even stepped foot in an entire building that was as luxurious and ornately decorated as this, single room is.

Releasing his hold on his wife's hand, Jughead removes his suit jacket and loosens his cuffs as he begins to wander around their suite, looking out on the view of Riverdale, checking out the fridge of the mini bar and looking at the ornate decor. Meanwhile, Betty lingers by the door, watching him as he explores the room while continuing to focus on steadying her breathing.

Then, suddenly, with a big, deep breath, Betty sets course for him. Rushing across the room as fast as her waddle will take her until she reaches her husband, Betty's stops right in front of him as her hands fly around his neck and her lips collide with his. Betty instantly takes the kiss from 0 to 100 within seconds and while Jughead isn't complaining, he can't help but get the feeling that her sudden, amorous display of affection is more akin to ticking a chore off of a to-do list than it is to a moment of passion.

"Betts..." is all that Jughead can muster up after a few moments pass, when he wraps the kiss up and pulls away from his new wife, which takes every ounce of his self-control.

"Don't you want this?" Betty asks sounding a little confused as she gestures between them, drawing attention to the elephant in the room.

Looking down, gazing deeply into her eyes, Jughead raises an eyebrow. He knows what  _his_  answer to her question is, but he needs to know  _hers_.

"Do  _you_?"

Betty bites her lip, wordlessly, enough to answer Jughead's question sufficiently. So, he presses a chaste kiss to her forehead and takes a hold of her hand as he looks her in the eye, intensely, making sure she understands what he's about to tell her.

"Just so you know, I'm not expecting anything of you tonight, Betty."

A look of poorly veiled relief floods over her face as she brings her hands to cup her new husband's face, her nerves only replaced with stronger love for Jughead.

"I love you, Jughead. Please don't think for even a moment that this means that I don't. I love you more than anything. It's just-"

Jughead presses a gentle finger to lips, silencing her.

"It's okay, Betts. I get it. This is all pretty sudden and you are still trying to move on from something unthinkably horrific. I  _totally_  get it... I'm ready whenever you are, but I'm okay with waiting. After all, I've got a lifetime with you."

The immensity of Betty's gratitude is etched into her face as she presses a kiss to Jughead's lips, her heart just about exploding with love for him.

" _Thank you_. I love you, Juggie."

With a kind smile on his face, Jughead's hands slide down the outer sides of her bare arms, coming to hold her hands in his, resting either side of them. They remain like this for a few moments until Betty takes another deep breath, this time leaving a smile on her face. From where his hands are being held around hers, slung between them, Betty slowly takes their hands, directing them to her waist as her own pull away, leaving Jughead's there, holding either side of her hips.

Then, as she leans against her husband, she feels his hands rise from where they are rested on her hips, moving up to hold her back as she feels a sensation coming over her, a sense of peace.

After her attack, the feeling of Chuck's hands non-consensually moving across her had been a recurring nightmare and both the lingering sensation and reminder of his hands had been a particularly deep scar that Betty was left feeling traumatised from. But, there in her husband's embrace, there's no fear, no suppressed feelings of discomfort and not a single hair stands up fearfully like it would whenever  _anyone_  would touch her after the attack.

"I know  _your_  hands..." Betty mumbles into Jughead neck, from where her head is nestled into him. The warmth from her words on his neck tickle his sensitive skin.

She slowly pulls away from where she had been resting into him, but she doesn't go far, with their arms still around each other as she looks into his eyes. Then, Betty takes a big, deep breath and she  _smiles_ , cupping Jughead's face in her hands as she presses a deeper, lingering kiss to her husband's lips.

When they finally pull away, Jughead sees a lust in her eyes that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. He  _knows_  that she's no longer just ticking something off her to-do list, setting her own feelings aside for his.

Then, finally, Betty has her say and she is listened to, an opportunity she was not given on the awful night many months ago when the two-letter word that she  _did_  say over and over again went ignored.

"I'm ready, Jughead... I want to. I'm saying  _yes_ , to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I hope you guys like this one... I have been so nervous about posting this. For a wedding chapter, the pressure's on, man. Plus, as lovely as it is to read, I always find writing fluff hard because there is such a fine line between sweet and sappy. I'd rather take angst on any day, haha. I think this is the chapter that I have spent the longest writing and trying to perfect by a long shot, so I hope it came across as well-executed. I'd love to know what you thought of this one!
> 
> Thank you so much for the feedback and the response after the authors note on the last chapter. I think I was beginning to feel like there was just two or three people still out there and interested in the story and as much as I have loved writing it, it's really encouraging to know that all my effort is not for nothing and that you all want me to proceed with the story and go with the mystery. Like I have said, I really want to go down the mystery path, but I just wanted to try and weigh up the value/interest for all the time and effort that goes into writing and proofing, if people were just as happy for the story to wrap up. So, thank you all for your feedback! I hope you continue to love where life goes for Betty, Jug and bubba! There is a bit of a lead up to the mystery, but that plot will be underway in just over ten chapters time. Ooh, and there'll be another video trailer coming in the lead up to the mystery!
> 
> Also, if you're interested I have posted a picture to my tumblr as a little glimpse of the dresses/aesthetic I was so desperately trying to describe! 'riverheadcf' if you're interested in taking a peek.
> 
> Next chapter: Although the newlyweds are in their own little bubble of bliss, Betty drops two bombshells on Jughead.


	29. Mornings

**CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: Mornings**

After Jughead and Betty's wedding, her parents had conveniently organised an impromptu visit to see their eldest daughter and her newborn twins and left for Maine, set to return next week; the week before Betty's due date.

Consequently, their visit meant the entire Cooper family home was left for the expectant newlyweds...  _What a coincidence_.

So far, Jughead and Betty have made the most of the limited opportunity to not only have the house to themselves, but they have also made the most of their final days together before their team of two becomes a family of three.

#

Jughead has  _always_  been a night owl.

But, over the last week, he has developed a new-found appreciation for  _mornings_. in fact, mornings have quickly become Jughead's favourite time of day since he married Betty.

After all, the newlyweds haven't  _quite_  made it out to the real world again just yet, living and thriving in their own bubble of happiness instead. Within that bubble, their morning routine has consisted of snuggling, kissing, cuddling and four hands being sprawled out across Betty's stomach to feel bubba kicking or moving.

However, waking up this morning, Jughead is quick to note that there is no warmth beyond his own form under the blankets, there's no entanglement of legs and there are no lazy, morning kisses that he has grown so accustomed to within just a week.

"Betts?" Jughead calls out immediately, throwing the covers off in search of his companion.

Instead, his usual mornings that start the day the day off with affection and amorous exchanges with his wife is replaced with delicious scents wafting up from the storey below today. Jughead can pick the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee, the distinctive smell of bacon and eggs being fried, along with another strong, sweet scent that he can't quite put his finger on.

"Betts..." Jughead repeats after receiving no response the first time as he walks downstairs and follows the scents.

Walking into the kitchen, Betty is the picture of a domestic goddess. She's dressed and ready, an apron barely reaching around her almost-full-term baby belly that is about ready to explode as she focuses on cooking the sizzling bacon and producing the perfect fried egg. Meanwhile, the oven below her cooks away, baking something that is producing the sweetest scents that Jughead has smelt in a long time.

"Morning, you... Happy one-week anniversary!"

" _What on earth_  do you think that you're doing, wifey?!"

As though the sight before him is an obscenity, Jughead's voice and his words sound angry or at least annoyed, until you hear the pet name that follows it. There's no way that you can take someone seriously when they're addressing you as 'wifey'.

"I woke up earlier than you so I did a bit of baking and whipped up some cinnamon scrolls. Then I wanted to make you breakfast in bed. Coffee?" Betty replies, apparently unfazed by Jughead's annoyance upon seeing her fossicking around busily in the kitchen.

With a frustrated sigh, Jughead realises that Betty's not quite getting it, so he takes matters into his own hands as he crosses the kitchen to reach her side. He removes the spatula from Betty's right hand, setting it down on the bench before he takes her hands in his and moves them both across the room, pulling a chair out for her before encouraging her to sit down.

"You're also eight-and-a-half months pregnant, Betty. That's not the  _only_  thing you're baking. Sit down, take it easy. Let me finish it off."

As she takes her seat at the table with a huff, Jughead chuckles at the crossed-arms, tight frown and unimpressed pout on his wife's face. He just crouches beside her, pressing a kiss to her lips and she's unable to stay annoyed with him for long at all.

"Happy one week anniversary to you, too, wifey... Even though you should be resting - _not_  competing with Gordon Ramsey- it does smell phenomenal in here."

Between the kiss and the compliment, Betty's childish pout has been almost entirely wiped off her face.

Jughead is unable to stop himself from pressing one more kiss to the top of her head as he stands up from where he'd been crouching beside her seat at the table. Then, he walks over and takes over from Betty's spot in the kitchen where he'd busted her standing over the hot frying pan, cooking their breakfast, just a minute or two earlier with the cinnamon scrolls baking away below the stovetop.

"So how are you feeling, Betts?" Jughead asks, glancing back over to her before his attention returns to the sizzling bacon. "How's your back today?"

"It wasn't too hard to sleep last night, but it's still a little uncomfortable."

"You're in pain and yet you were cooking  _me_  breakfast?!" Jughead states incredulously with a heavy, exhaled sigh. " _I'm_  supposed to be looking after  _you_... How about you go up and take a shower, see if that helps your back, and I'll make this a breakfast-in-bed for two."

Any sign of her previous pout is long gone as a smile spreads across Betty's face at hearing Jughead's suggestion and he helps her up from her seat at the table, receiving a quick kiss to his cheek as a thank you.

#

Later on into their lazy morning, two teenagers are tangled up in each other. After all, 'breakfast in bed' had been the perfect guise to stay in bed longer, stretching the excuse out for as long as they can. Despite the fact that their breakfast and Betty's hot cinnamon scrolls had been polished off almost half an hour ago, the newlyweds hadn't budged from bed at all.

"Juggie?" Betty whispers as he strokes lazy patterns along her arm with his fingertip.

"Mm?"

Upon gaining his attention, Betty shuffles a little, uncomfortably trying to raise herself from the mattress that she has sunk into in order to turn and face him, eventually managing to look up into his eyes from where she'd been laid against his chest.

"Just lately, I can't stop thinking about something..."

There's a squint and a small, half-smile on Jughead's lips. He's not quite sure how to respond to that and whether whatever she's been thinking about is a good thing or not. Consequently, the silent, curious look on her husband's face is enough to prompt Betty to continue speaking, filling him in on her train of thought.

"I wish bubba could be like you, Jug, I really, really do."

Jughead simply presses a kiss to the top of his wife's golden locks. He feels like it won't be of any comfort to her if he tells her the honest truth, telling her that he wishes that was the case, too.

"I know... But none of that matters to me because as far as I'm concerned, she  _is_  my daughter."

" _Of course_  she is. But, although I know that this baby is never going to have your eyes or your nose or your DNA or your snarl-"

Jughead interrupts Betty, cutting her off mid-sentence as a smirk quirks on the corner of his lips.

"Hey, jury's still out on the snarl... Just because it's not genetic, doesn't mean I'm not an  _amazing_  teacher, Betts. Don't you worry, bubba will have it down in no time."

Betty just rolls her eyes at her husband's tease, silencing him and continuing on with her own explanation.

"Let me finish. So, as much as I wish she could look like you, I know that she won't. But, as I was saying, in every way that counts you are going to be our lucky little girl's father. Even still, I want bubba to have  _something_  from you..."

While he had been sarcastic and teasing just a moment ago, Jughead grows serious all of a sudden at hearing what Betty's now telling him, trying to determine the answer to her riddle before she continues speaking and explaining while she strokes her hand over the side of his face, her thumb gently brushing back and forth against his cheek.

"Juggie... I want bubba's name to come from you. I want  _you_  to name her."

Jughead looks at her blankly for a moment, as if trying to believe what she's saying to him, feebly trying to understand the enormity of that prospect.

"You want  _me_  to name her?" Jughead confirms incredulously, checking that he has heard Betty right.

Betty shuffles herself up a little closer towards her husband's face as she presses a brief kiss to his lips to go along with the confirmation of his question.

"I do... You're her dad, Jughead. I love how much you already love her. And, I am so grateful that my little girl is going to have a father. So, yes, I  _do_  want you to name her."

Almost instantly, an enormous smile spreads across Jughead Jones's lips at the incredible privilege and honour that his wife is extending to him. Then, Betty's new husband slowly lowers his face towards hers as he scoops up either side of her jaw in his loving, gentle hands and presses a deep kiss to her lips, only breaking apart when breathing becomes an issue.

Then, with an amused little smirk on his lips, Jughead's voice lowers to a whisper, as though his following words are top-secret...

"Betts, you  ** _do_  **realise that you've just asked the guy whose nickname is 'Jughead' because it's better than the alternative, to name your child, right?"

#

Although morning has become Jughead's favourite time of day, his lazy mornings in bed with Betty may be interrupted once again...

He's still fast asleep, dead to the world. The time on the clock by Betty's bedside table which has become his reads 1:13 AM.

Betty's no stranger to Braxton Hicks... The first couple of times she felt the false-alarm contractions had utterly terrified her, fearful that her daughter was coming early, about a month ago. But, since then she has continued to experience the little reminders of her daughter's imminent birth on-and-off, a couple of times a week.

That's what she had put it down to when she woke up long before Jughead the previous morning, deciding to make the most of her early-rising discomfort and make them breakfast and cinnamon rolls... That's what she had put it down to when she and Jughead had returned to bed to eat their breakfast, wriggling around to try and soothe the niggles... That's what she had put it down to when she had spent the rest of that afternoon resting with Jughead, watching a movie downstairs, putting up with the lingering discomfort that hadn't diminished... And, that's what she had put it down to when they finally rolled into bed for that evening, when Jughead gave her a back massage, checking she was okay after noting that she was feebly trying to reach a spot herself to alleviate some of her pain.

So, despite her niggling suspicions, Betty reasoned that if it  _was_  labour, it would be a long haul and a long wait. And, as the newlyweds had kissed goodnight that night, Betty told herself that if  _was_  labour, Jughead would need as much rest as he can get, so she kept her suspicions under wraps and to herself.

But, there at 1:13 in the middle of the night, Betty can not ignore what she'd put down to yet another false alarm anymore as she gently shakes her husband's shoulder. Although she had tried to wake him lightly, he bolts up in a jolt like a loaded trigger, rasping for air from the disruption.

"Betts? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Scared green eyes lock with concerned blue in the dark room that is only dimly lit from the streetlight out the front of the Cooper house. Then, Betty utters the five little words that strike instant panic into one-father-to-be...

"Juggie... I think I might be in labour."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the little snippet of the newlyweds bliss before things start to get hectic again. And, what do you think about Betty wanting Jughead to name bubba?
> 
> Now, thank you so much to everyone who left a comment on the last chapter. I was so nervous to post the wedding (& wedding night), so thank you so much for your lovely words and feedback!
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead and Betty finally meet their little girl.


	30. It's Perfect, She's Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet bubba!

**CHAPTER THIRTY: It's Perfect, She's Perfect**

As soon as Betty uttered:  _"Juggie... I think I might be in labour_ ", her words had shaken any sleepiness out of her husband -all systems go- with the couple arriving at the hospital just before two that morning. Then, by the time she has finished being examined and assessed, Betty is told that she's already well into her labour.

At six centimetres dilated, her contractions have been coming in hard and fast every few minutes, lasting for increasingly longer periods before starting all over again.

So far, Betty has handled it like a trooper, primarily wincing and whimpering her way through her pain and contractions, apart from the occasional cry of pain.

Upon feeling her latest contraction slowly ease off, Betty takes a big, deep breath; preparing herself for the next wave of pain. Then, with eyes that are filled with moisture, she turns to her husband who is fixed at her bedside supportively, with his hand fixed in hers as she squeezes her way through her contractions.

"Juggie?"

"What's wrong? Can I do anything for you, Betts? Can I get you anything?"

He only wants to help, but Betty's face scrunches up and tears begin to wrack her body as she is overwhelmed with both pain and fear when she looks up to her husband. Instantly, Jughead sees the fear that fills her face and it breaks his heart.

"I'm so scared... What if I don't do this right? What if something goes wrong?"

In her pain, Betty's love for her unborn daughter is only magnified in her fears for her daughter.

However, before Jughead has a chance to reply and find the right words to say, another contraction takes hold and Betty's entire face and body is overcome as she winces in pain.

"I don't want to do this... I don't think I can."

Despite her own strong clutch on his hand, Jughead gives Betty a little squeeze of reassurance before stroking a gentle hand down the side of her face, comfortingly.

"You are the strongest person I know and I am so, so proud of you... You are going to be fine and bubba is going to be fine. This is the final hurdle, Betts, and you're nearly there. After everything you've been through, you are  _so_  close to the finish line and it's not long before our beautiful baby girl will be in your arms... You are so, so close now, Betts. You can do this. You're nearly there."

Despite Jughead's reassuring words, Betty throws her head back against the bed, feeling the excruciating peak of another contraction before she can say a thing in response. Each contraction is feeling longer and more intense, with less breathing time between.

Jughead himself has almost forgotten about his own words to his wife before she finally gets just a moment of the closest thing to resemble peace at this current moment. Then, before doing it all over again very soon, Betty quickly grabs Jughead's attention again, looking over to him.

"Jug?" Betty croaks while her chest rapidly rises and falls as she fights for a solid breath. "You're doing great, too. Thank you..."

 _Of course_ , even when she's in labour and even when she's in a whole world of pain, Betty is the one who is comforting  _him_.

When he notices the look on her face that indicates another contraction is just beginning to hit, Jughead gently squeezes Betty's hand in reassurance, just in time, as the increasingly painful contractions hits the terrified mother-to-be...

#

From that point, on Betty's labour predominantly consists of the teenage girl in tears, crying, wailing and howling her way through the intensifying contractions and pain that comes along with that whatever way she can. Not only is her distress due to the pain, the discomfort and the nausea of her intensifying labour, but it is also because Betty doesn't have any of the reassurance and comfort that she needs, knowing that she still has a long, long way to and the worst is far from over yet, until she gradually reaches full dilation.

Jughead feels sick to his stomach just watching on helplessly as Betty experiences the pain of her intensifying labour, while her tears are replaced with unbridled fury as she yells and screams her way through each push of delivery.

Then, finally, after many, long, painful and deliriously exhausting hours, it is just after nine o'clock that morning when the very first cries of a newborn fill the room, flooding the new parents with instantaneous joy and total relief...

Jughead is the first to catch a glimpse of the beautiful baby girl.

Immediately he feels his heart begin to pound with the indescribable depth of love at very first sight as he beams back at his wife, relaying the fact that she's actually  _here_ , she's perfect and she's healthy.

Then, despite his initial hesitance, Jughead cuts the umbilical cord which has connected mother to daughter over the last thirty-eight-weeks before eagerly trading the medical scissors over for the tiny, little baby who is handed to him.

After so many months of preparing for her arrival, after so many months of imagining what she will look like and after so many months of waiting to meet her, it's a surreal moment as Jughead finally holds his daughter in his arms, taking in her every little, perfect detail. It takes his breath away, leaving him barely able to breath and completely unable to control the tears of joy that well in his eyes as he holds her tightly, afraid to let her go, both now and forever.

Jughead is completely overwhelmed by how tiny she is within his arms, whilst simultaneously feeling the weight of holding one of the most important things in his world. In fact, holding that baby girl in his arms takes his breath away as she squirms and cries, spending the first few moments of her life in her father's arms; more than enough time to steal his heart away from him completely, with his love for her coursing through every fiber and cell of Jughead's being.

It's positively euphoric, it's beyond terrifying and it fills Jughead with a love that he never knew possible.

"Hey there, bubba... It's so good to finally meet you, pretty girl."

With his focus fixed firmly on the newborn in his arms, Jughead loses all concept of time... It could have been three seconds or it could have been three hours later by the time that Betty has just endured the last of her delivery, wanting nothing but her baby as Jughead slowly carries the newborn over to her mother.

Despite her total exhaustion, Betty bolts upright, holding her arms out and open upon the sight of her daughter within her husband's arms. She's too exhausted to even hold her head up for any longer before her head of sweaty, disheveled, golden locks collapses back against the hospital bed as Jughead hands the baby that he doesn't want to let go of, over to her mother.

After nine, long months that had started with unthinkable trauma for Betty Cooper and ended in hours of intense pain for Betty Jones, all of that suffering results in an overwhelming amount of joy at the feeling of elation as Jughead hands Betty her little girl, holding her daughter in her arms for the very first time.

Instantly, tears spring to Betty's eyes as she holds her little girl, crying from the feeling.

"Oh, she's perfect..." Betty murmurs, choking up. Tears stream down the new mother's face from the surging feelings of love that swell through her and consumes her heart. Before that moment, she didn't think it was even  _possible_  to feel an even greater amount of absolute, unconditional love than the amount she already does for her daughter.

"She's  _beyond_  perfect. I'm so proud of you, Betts... You did such an amazing job. Look what you made..." Jughead coos. He is filled with awe for his wife and their daughter from where he stands as close as he can at her bedside, watching over his girls and witnessing the new mother's first moments with her baby.

However, as the little family enjoy the first moments that mark the rest of their lives together, all too soon they are interrupted as the nurses declare that they need to take bubba to be examined, to have her details recorded and be cleaned off. Then, upon hesitantly handing her daughter over to the nurse, Betty's head collapses back down again with exhaustion, shuffling over just a little to make enough room for her husband to take a hint.

From where he'd been standing by her side, Jughead joins Betty after her silent invitation. As soon as she relaxes into his chest, she feels nothing but tired as Jughead gently showers his wife with pride and affection, hugs, and kisses.

The few moments alone between the two of them allows Betty to begin to calm down and catch her breath, continuing to pant, out-of-breath, after the exhausting peaks of pain that she has experienced and endured over the previous hours.

"I'm so proud of you..." Jughead beams as he smooths her hair out away from her face and swipes her forehead that is covered with beads of sweat.

Betty tries to give Jughead a smile, taking all of her effort and more as she collapses back down against him, exhausted.

#

Later that day, the family of three are reunited again when Betty is moved out from delivery and into her own room within the maternity ward of Riverdale Memorial Hospital.

On the small, sterile hospital bed, the two completely besotted parents can't tear their eyes away from their perfect, healthy daughter. Jughead's arm is slung around Betty who is resting against his chest, holding the newborn that is sleeping soundly within her own.

Jughead has never felt as happy as he does in that moment with both his girls, his whole world, in his arms. Meanwhile, despite her exhaustion, Betty cannot wipe the overjoyed smile off of her face, her heart filled with warmth and love for her little family.

As they gaze down on and analyse the baby in her mother's arms, there's no denying that she's not just a junior-Betty... There's no denying that another person -another half- resulted in making Jughead and Betty's daughter a whole... And, there is no denying that that person looks  _nothing_ like either of them...

But, it doesn't matter... She is  _their_  daughter no matter what -or who- she looks like.

At present, that tiny newborn is sleeping peacefully in mother's arms, her little body rising and falling lightly as she continues taking in some of her first breaths of air.

Meanwhile, with his eyes glued on his daughter, Jughead reaches a hand down to stroke his thumb gently across her tiny amount of hair. While there's not much there and while they know that it could change as she grows, both Betty and Jughead had been shocked upon being handed the little girl with little tufts of the Cooper family's trademarked golden blonde hair, which appears to spring into small curls. After all, knowing that the alternative would have been jet-black or something at least resembling that, both her parents had been surprised by the newborn's fair hair.

Then, moving on from their baby's hair, Jughead gently strokes the back of his fingers along the side of her face and against her plump cheeks, reveling in the way she feels like velvet under his touch as he takes in her every detail.

She has the Clayton nose, beautifully full lips and colouring; the African American in her is quite evident. Her silky-soft skin is much darker than Betty's but only marginally lighter than Chuck's, resulting in an almost caramel-coloured tan, akin to Veronica's colouring. Then, in contrast to her golden skin, the newborn's dark blonde hair that is just a little darker than Betty's is just  _beautiful_. And, while her eyes are clenched shut at the moment, Betty and Jughead have both noted her beautiful, deep, chocolate-brown eyes that are only accentuated by the shape of her mother's, big, bright and round, Bambi-like orbs.

 _Overall_ , the baby in Betty's arms looks like the other person whose genetics went into the makeup of Jughead and Betty's daughter...

But, no matter who she looks, both Jughead and Betty love that little girl with everything they have.

"Does dad want a hold?" Betty asks, not really wanting to share her daughter, but noting that Jughead can't keep his hands off the baby in her arms; touching her fingers one minute and gently stroking her head the next.

With an enthusiastic nod and a smile in her direction, Betty gently hands her daughter over to her husband as her head comes to rest against his shoulder watching the two loves of her life together.

"So... Have you chosen a name yet? Sorry, I thought that bubba would give you a little bit longer to decide on one than what she did..."

Jughead glances up to his wife and then back down to their daughter, a nervous smile forming on his lips.

"Yeah, I think I might have one... Is she going to be a Cooper?"

Betty's face scrunches up at Jughead's unassuming question, giving him the answer he  _wants_  to hear, but doesn't want to presume on.

"Of course not... She's a Jones, just like us. We're the Jones family, Jughead... So, come on then, what did you pick?!"

Jughead struggles to hide his smile at the fact that this little girl will bear his surname, before realising that he should answer Betty who is frantic with curiosity.

"Well, I thought about it and I think it'd be nice if she goes by a nickname, seeing as we both do..."

The urgency on Betty's face slowly morphs to feigned horror as she interrupts Jughead's explanation.

"Oh god... I've given birth to Forsythia 'Waffles' Jones, haven't I?"

Jughead simply chuckles at Betty's remark, looking playfully offended, before teasing her right back.

"Hey! She's not a 'Waffles'! She's more of a 'Hazelnut', Betts..."

This time its Betty's turn to look insulted as she turns her gaze to her daughter in mock-rudeness towards Jughead. However, what's not so far from the truth is the fact that she  _is_  beginning to fear what her daughter's name could possibly be after leaving the decision in the hands of her husband...

"Emi."

Slowly, Betty looks up to Jughead from where her gaze had been cast on the baby in his arms. Then, as her eyes meet his, a genuine, heartfelt smile grows. It spreads across her face as she glances down to her daughter and then back up to him.

"Emi?" she confirms, repeating the name that glides off her tongue perfectly, in little more than a whisper.

"Emi... Emilie Elizabeth, only if you like it..." Jughead's face is riddled with nervousness as he continues on speaking and explaining. "I've always loved the name Emilie. For  _years_  I have been saving it to use for a character in a book or something like that, but no one seems quite perfect for it so I've never used it. I thought it suits her and I thought it works well with a nickname, too. For her middle name, I wanted to find a beautiful, strong heroines name... But, I realised that the bravest and the strongest person that bubba can aspire to be like is her mother."

While the newlyweds had been joking around and teasing each other just mere moments ago, the mood has changed completely and suddenly Betty can't wipe the smile off her face as she fights back the tears of joy that prick within her eyes as her emerald eyes slowly well up.

"Emilie Elizabeth Jones" Betty confirms, repeating her daughter's name.

Then, to mark the beautiful moment that she no-doubt will remember for the rest of her life, as with a handful of others from this monumental day, Betty leans up to press a gentle kiss to her husband's lips, followed by another on her daughter's silky-soft forehead.

"Emi Jones... I love it. It's perfect, Jug."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the nerves are real! Chapters based around giving birth are hard to write, especially when you've never done it. But, I hope my aeons of research paid off...
> 
> Also, I hope you like little Emi's name! I've had her name picked from the very early ages of planning this story, but now that it's actually out, I'm so nervous to see what you all think of it. I hope you all love it, too.
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who continues to support this story. I hope you all continue to enjoy everything that's coming up for this little family. There's some big stuff on the horizon!
> 
> Next chapter: Betty and Jughead introduce their friends and family to their little girl. And, Chuck learns of Emi's birth.


	31. Dads & Fathers

**CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: Dads & Fathers**

That night, each member of the little family of three are quick to fall asleep, dead to the world, all about as tired as each other.

However, that changes just after midnight when there slow, silent movements begin coming from within the bassinet that is set at the foot of Betty's hospital bed and just in front of Jughead's armchair that he's managed to find a comfortable enough position to sleep in.

When the newborn wakes up and begins to cry, the intensity of her cries slowly grows, with her distress beginning with silent squirms as her mouth opens and closes, moving well before any noise comes out. Then, like a slow running tap, small, soft cries eventually begin to emanate from the newborn's bassinet. As Emi quietly whimpers, she squirms and stretches her arms rigidly, from where she's swaddled within a generic hospital blanket that has never looked so good after being wrapped around one bundle of joy in particular.

However, even Emi's quietest whimpers are enough to jolt the new father awake with a little gasp.

It takes Jughead the briefest moment to catch-up with the present, remembering the fact that this isn't a dream and that after months of planning, he and Betty's little girl is finally  _here_ , sharing the world with them, safe and sound, and apparently  _upset_.

As he whispers quiet  _'shhh's'_  into the night, Jughead's eyes dart over to his wife, checking that she's still fast asleep and catching up on the much-needed sleep before he jumps up from the armchair that he had crashed in, racing over to the bassinet at the foot of Betty's bed.

"Emi, hey bubba... It's okay... You're okay" Jughead consoles in little more than a whisper as he gently picks up his daughter, taking utmost care in transferring Emi from her temporary bed, to his arms.

Mildly petrified that he's going to drop her or crush her in his arms or break her, Jughead finds the first few minutes of holding Emi against him difficult, especially under the pressure of her crying, as he paces around Betty's hospital room, trying to settle one of his girls, while ensuring that the other stays asleep.

Then, from the comfort and security within her father's strong arms, being held safe and tight becomes enough to settle silence Emi's soft cries as Jughead presses his lips against her temple, whispering his reassurances to her.

"It's alright, I'm here... Daddy's here, Emi... It's alright, bubba..."

After silencing his daughter's small cries, it takes Jughead a few more minutes of gently adjusting his hold on Emi to find a position that is comfortable enough for the both of them before they both settle, relaxing into each other, as he holds her upright on her stomach and against his chest, patting her back lightly as she squirms against him occasionally, gradually settling into his hold.

"Now, that's a bit better, isn't it?" Jughead smiles as he peers down to the newborn in his arms, as if looking to his daughter for confirmation that they're succeeding in working through this together.

Looking down to the baby in his arms, Jughead is completely overcome by her big, brown eyes that gaze around the room, glazed and without any focus. He can't stop himself from pressing a kiss to the top of his daughter's blonde fuzz of hair that looks like it will turn out to be a beautiful contrast from her rich, caramel brown skin.

"Man, kid, you're beautiful... You put all the other babies in the nursery to shame."

Jughead can't resist gently rubbing the side of his index over Emi's plump cheek, her skin feeling softer and smoother than anything else he can recall touching.

"Emi? I know I'm going to be so far from being the best dad. But, I promise you that I'm going to do my best for you, bubba. You can wake me up after every bad dream that frightens you... I'll start working on my dad jokes to horrify you... I'm ready to take down the bullies at school and I'll embarrass you with the annoyingly overprotective dad stuff, okay? I'm going to be here for it all, Emi - _I promise-_ because, you're my little girl, okay? No matter what anyone else says, you're always going to be  _my_  little girl."

Jughead leans down, inching closer to his baby in his arms, pressing another soft kiss to the top of head before quietly whispering the words that are just to stay between him and her.

"I love you, bubba... I love you with all my heart. I'm so lucky to be your dad. Don't you ever forget that no matter what, I've  _always_  got you."

#

After her mid-morning birth, Jughead and Betty kept the first day of their daughter's life exclusive to them, enjoying their own little bubble as a family of three.

Then, the first thing the following morning, Jughead sent out a message to his and Betty's closest family and friends that announced their daughter's birth, sending out just a simple selfie he had taken which focused in on himself, Betty and the little pink bundle in her arms as the trio share Betty's hospital bed together.

As soon as the message is out, it prompts an instant onslaught of messages and phone calls wanting to know all the details and congratulate the new parents, followed by visitors as the day progresses.

However, their friends are being held captive by the confines of school until three that afternoon and Betty's parents are out of town, with the promise of being on the next plane back home, caught unprepared for their granddaughter's early arrival seeing as they are currently staying with Polly and her own newborns in Maine.

Consequently, it means that the first visitor to turn up at the hospital to see the little family is Jughead's father.

"Knock knock" FP says, audibly announcing his arrival at the same time as he knocks on the open door to Betty's small hospital room.

When the knock of the door spreads through the silent room, Betty has been resting and she has almost fallen to sleep since having her breakfast barely half an hour earlier. Meanwhile, across the room the new dad is studying the sleeping bundle in his arms, gently rocking her from where he's seated by the chair in front of the window. The warmth of the morning sunlight that flows into the room only aids in relaxing Emi even more within Jughead's arms.

"Oh, sorry, I can come back later..." FP apologises as he steps under the door-frame of the room, instantly noting that Betty is nearly asleep on the hospital bed when he catches sight of her.

FP's daughter-in-law quickly brushes it off, telling him to stay and inviting him into her room as she releases a yawn, slowly trying to sit up in bed a little more, as painlessly as she can.

However, despite Betty's reassurances, FP still feels a little guilty and uncomfortable as he stands there, wringing his hands in the doorway until his son gets up from his seat against the window in the room, slowly and gently carrying his little girl over to show his own father.

"Dad, check her out..." Jughead beams in a whisper as he directs his daughter who's sleeping soundly in his arms towards his father to show her off. "Isn't she perfect?"

Jughead doesn't volunteer for his father to hold the baby in his arms –not willing to let go- and his father doesn't ask, just looking on with a smile instead. Meanwhile, FP looks between the beautiful newborn who is sleeping soundly in his son's arms, then looking to his son is quite clearly besotted and head-over-heels in love with that little girl. Both sights are just about as beautiful as each other.

"She's beautiful... Congratulations guys. Does she have a name yet?"

Betty and Jughead turn to each other from either side of the room, sharing a look, before Betty speaks up.

"Ask Jughead that question... He picked it" Betty explains with a smile as she gazes over to her husband, filled with the warmth of love as she watches him holding their daughter.

Meanwhile, FP just zeroes in on Jughead who wordlessly gets the idea and fills his father in on her name.

"Emi... Emilie Jones, but just Emi for short."

Just the mention of his daughter's name draws Jughead's attention back to the newborn in his arms, unable to tears his eyes away from her. Jughead leans down and presses a kiss to the very top of Emi's delicate head, his lips gently press to the tanned, dark caramel skin on her forehead, just before her small amount of blonde hair atop her tiny head begins.

"What? FP Jones the fourth wasn't good enough for her?" FP chuckles, just receiving an unimpressed eye roll from his son whose eyes don't shift from the baby in his arms before FP's own gaze becomes similarly fixed on his newborn granddaughter as he adds to his initial teasing remark. "Emi  _does_  suit her though..."

Watching the scene before, Betty's head collapses lying back onto her mountain of pillows that Jughead has fluffed for her about a thousand times already, feeling so peaceful, so calm and so,  _so_  happy.

As she lies there, Betty cherishes the moment of watching her daughter with the family that she never thought that her little girl would have. She watches her baby who is so calm and so relaxed in the arms of her husband who is watching her with so much love and attention, as though she's the only thing in his world. Betty also notes how like father, like son, FP stands beside his son, he too unable to take his eyes off his newborn granddaughter.

With her little girl safe in her father's arms as he shows her off to his own father, Betty finds herself unable to fight against her exhaustion anymore. Then, in total peace and calm, Betty finally drifts away to the world of sleep...

#

News travels fast in Riverdale. Despite the fact that Jughead had only sent the message out that morning, by lunchtime, Betty and Jughead's closest friends were being swarmed with questions from their classmates and even their teachers who were looking for the inside scoop, wanting to know whether Betty had had a boy or a girl, followed closely by the question of what they have named her.

So, after lunch that day, when yet another classmate approaches Archie to ask about Betty after the news that she has had her baby, Archie doesn't think anything of it. It doesn't raise any eyebrows, nor does it wave any red flags. After all, Chuck Clayton is just one of many.

"Hey, Andrews!" Chuck bellows out to the red-head, instantly successful in catching his school mates attention. "I heard that Betty Cooper had the baby. Boy or a girl?"

When Jughead and Betty had gotten married just over a week ago, it hadn't been a broadcast piece of news. In fact, aside from their closest friends and family who attended the wedding, the majority of the town was still in the dark. So, Archie doesn't correct the jock that Betty Cooper is now Betty Jones. It's a good thing he doesn't.

"Little girl."

Chuck simply nods in acknowledgement, much like every other classmate who has asked Archie the very same question so far today, making out as though he doesn't care less, before firing another question at him.

"So what's her name?"

"Dunno yet. We're visiting them after school. Jughead only sent a photo out to us. It didn't mention anything about a name and we haven't heard back since."

It's only as Chuck responds with:  _"Oh yeah? Let's see the photo"_  when Archie raises a surprised eyebrow at the jocks reaction. After all, so far only two other girls in the year above him have asked the very same question as Chuck, seeing the picture to proceed to coo over the newborn in the photo. And, Archie can't imagine the fellow athlete reacting quite the same way as the other two girls had.

However, Archie doesn't question it. He just pulls his phone out and opens to one of his most recent messages from his best friend, opening to the picture that had been sent out to a group within his contacts.

Handing his phone over to his classmate, Archie doesn't notice the intensity of which he analyses the newborn as quickly as he can, nor does Archie see the way that Chuck's jaw clenches when looks at the little family's happy snap -the selfie taken by Jughead- staring at the other man who answers to the title of 'father' of the newborn in that photo.

"Cute kid... I reckon she looks like her dad. Be sure to tell Betty congratulations from me. I can't wait to meet her."

#

Later that day, both mother and daughter are awake and up to be discharged before the end of the day.

Currently, Betty is rolling her eyes with amusement, listening to her proud-as-punch husband go on and on about his new discovery after just working out that Emi likes the motion from being rocked and walked around simultaneously when she's settled, after he's just managed to calm her fifteen minutes ago.

Jughead has just handed their baby back to Betty in order to answer Archie's text asking them where in the hospital they are seeing as he and their two friends are lost in the wards of white walls and are avoiding having to go back to reception for a  _third_  time.

After Jughead's instruction, it's just a few short minutes later when a trio of familiar faces storm into the room. Veronica waltzes in first as Archie and Kevin trail in behind her like two lackeys, helping her to carry in the abundance of gifts that she has splashed out on for both mum and baby.

"Where's my little princess?" Veronica bellows out as she rushes over to her best friend's bedside, gasping audibly as she lays eyes on the baby in Betty's arms.

"Oh, B... She's an angel. Congratulations! You too, Jughead." Veronica smiles, leaning over to give Betty a hug before tearing her eyes away from the mother and her newborn daughter in order to glance over at the proud father who's stepped back in the corner, watching his girls.

"Would you like to hold her?" Betty offers politely, although a little begrudgingly at having to hand her baby over that she has  _just_  stolen back from her husband.

"Oh, yes! So long as we can get it in writing that she agrees not to spew on the Chanel, I'd love a hold" Veronica smiles, holding her arms out as Jughead just rolls his eyes in the background.

"Meet Emi..." Betty smiles as she gently hands her daughter over to one of her best friend's carefully as Jughead approaches from behind, waiting with bated breath and on stand-by until Emi is safe and tight in Veronica's arms.

"Emi? Oh, her name's perfect" Veronica replies to the young mother before turning her attention to the baby in her own arms, pressing a perfectly manicured finger to Emi's nose with a gentle tap as she coos "... Just like  _you_."

Meanwhile, Archie and Kevin who trailed in behind Veronica congratulate the new parents, trying to catch a glimpse of the newborn that they are here to see.

Then, with Veronica holding Emi, their friends try to make conversation and muster up a few relevant questions like ' _how much did she weigh_?' and ' _how long was labour?_ ' that mean very little to them. After all, Betty and Jughead's situation and the birth of their daughter don't make for a typical Tuesday for people their age.

After just a few minutes of Veronica holding Emi and as the trio of friends start running out of questions to ask the newlyweds, Archie looks like he's just about ready to tackle his girlfriend to the ground for a hold of his best friend's baby, stepping from foot-to-foot impatiently.

" _Come on..._ It's Uncle Archie's turn now."

With a roll of her dark eyes at her boyfriend's impatience and constant pressuring to hold the baby in her arms, Veronica finally shuts Archie up as she slowly hands Emi over to her uncle. Meanwhile, watching on warily, Jughead's heart races as he questions his trust in his best friend now that his daughter's in his arms as Betty pipes up protectively.

"Be gentle! She's not a football."

Archie scoffs at his childhood friend before turning his attention to the sleeping baby in his arms.

"Look! I'm a natural! I'm a natural! She loves me!"

After a few minutes of Archie holding Emi, rocking her back and forth like a pro, things change when the newborn's face slowly begins to crease, scrunching up. Then, her big, ruby red lips that had been closed to a form perfect pout slowly begins to open, making little 'O's' as her lips move, opening and shutting a few times, before the familiar noise of small cries begins to ring out in the room.

Then, for just a moment there, it's hard to tell who is more distressed; the crying newborn or the panicked teenager who blanches at his friend's upset baby in his arms.

"Yeah, she's naturally  _terrified_  of you. Thanks a lot for upsetting the baby before I could have a hold" Kevin says, speaking up bitterly as Jughead instantly races over to his daughter. He is quick to take Emi back from his best friend, trying to recreate the motion that had settled her just before their friends arrived.

Then, when the room fades to silence as the new dad works to settle his baby, he and Betty's three friends stand back silently, noting the contrast between father and daughter.

Despite the smiles on their faces and despite the congratulatory words, all three of Betty and Jughead's friends are preoccupied with trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. After all, looking at the newborn, it becomes quite apparent what physical attributes she did  _not_  inherit from her mother, narrowing the range of potential sperm donors.

Veronica's dark eyes flit between the new mother and her daughter. As she distinguishes the differences between the two, her mind is cast back to a night of vengeance roughly eight months ago, when a night of revenge got personal. She remembers seeing the look in her friend's eyes that she hadn't seen before and she hasn't seen since... There was something deeper, something darker in Betty's eyes under the guise of seeking revenge for Veronica and Polly. There was more between Betty and Chuck than what either of them had ever admitted to.

Noting the similar African American features and the colouring of the newborn, Archie too is reminded of the odd conversation that he'd had earlier that day with the man who bears a remarkable to resemblance to the baby in Jughead's arms...

Meanwhile, Kevin is mentally going through an entire list of any male in Riverdale, focusing in on their fellow classmates especially. Then, with few factors other than Emi's appearance to base the short-list that he's compiling mentally off of, Kevin is reduced to either Trev or Chuck as the most likely candidates.

Ignoring Betty and Jughead's admonition to ignore the idea of anyone else other than Jughead being Emi's father, the minds of their three friends are just about ticking over as they try to determine the truth behind Emi's paternity and the secrecy surrounding it. However, with the little pieces of the puzzle slowly and gradually coming to their minds, Veronica, Kevin and Archie all analyse every known detail as they watch the newborn intently. All three of them are trying to discover the  _'who?_ ' and the ' _why?_ ' of the situation, against their best friends' advice.

Consequently, the can of worms that Betty and Jughead have worked to keep sealed up and tightly shut is inching closer and closer to bursting open...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the little Juggie/Emi scene to start the chapter off, along with Betty and Jughead introducing their little girl to FP and their friends. And, Chuck?! Anway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'd to see what you all thought of it!
> 
> Also, thank you to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. I'm so glad that you like her name! I've held onto it for so long that it was scary putting it out there in the world. Thanks for proving that I had nothing to be worried about!
> 
> Next chapter: Betty and Jughead struggle through the realities of a newborn after taking Emi home.


	32. The New Nighthawk On The Block

**CHAPTER THIRTY TWO: The New Nighthawk On The Block**

It's been two weeks since Jughead and Betty brought their newborn home... Two weeks of unimaginable tiredness, two weeks of guessing games and two weeks of muddling their way through life.

Since bringing Emi home from the hospital, Betty and Jughead have tried to find a routine and a rhythm within their lives that have changed so drastically over the course of just a few short months. Simultaneously, the newlyweds are adjusting to the change of being married, moving in together and of course, the arrival of their little girl.

Just  _one_  of those factors alone would make for enough of an adjustment. So, learning to cope with all three, essentially at the same time, has made for quite the challenge. And, this is  _without_  adding the impact of returning to school into the mix again just yet, too...

Over the first fortnight, they've slowly grown more and more comfortable with feeding schedules, bathing, wrangling a screaming baby and having to change nappies that are all different levels of horrific.

However, one thing that neither Betty or Jughead have quite learned to live with just yet is the sleep deprivation and the fact that Emi fights sleep off for as long as possible, just to wake up as early as she can after eventually falling to sleep. In fact, since taking their daughter home from hospital, Betty and Jughead have learnt that their daughter is just about allergic to sleep. Even when it's apparent to the new parents that Emi is  _so_  overtired, the newborn continues to push herself to stay awake and fight off sleep.

So far, the one and only person who has successfully put up a fight against Emi and won with ease is Alice. But, that only convinces Jughead further that his mother-in-law is the most terrifying person in the world, so much so that even his newborn will fall into line with her grandmother.

While Emi is not an overly unsettled baby seeing as she's usually quite happy to just lay there, wide awake, she just does  _not_  like to sleep...

#

When a familiar cry begin to echo throughout her childhood room just before the sun begins to rise that morning, Betty exhales a deep groan as she rolls over and prepares to fly out of bed... right until she feels a familiar hand clap onto her arm, stopping her.

"Don't worry, you stay in bed. I've got her" Jughead offers while he copies her similar movements in a similar effort to try and drag himself up and pull himself away from the temptation of their warm bed.

However, shifting away from under his gentle touch, Betty doesn't let it stop her as she continues on her mission, ignoring her husband's offer as their daughter continues cry.

"No, I can get her. Go back to sleep, Juggie. You must be exhausted."

"Me?  _You're_  the one who got up at two, and three thirty, and five thirty during the night last night... Come on, Betts. You can't keep this up. You need to rest."

Betty ignores her husband's protests, climbing out of bed and picking her daughter up out of her cot, instantly rocking back and forth to try and settle Emi and silence her cries that wrack her tiny body.

"Yeah, well..." Betty begins, before trailing off.

"Yeah, well,  _what_ , Betts?"

Betty looks over to her husband from where he's sitting up in and leaning against the bed-head of their bed before she quickly looks away, escaping his glance. She just stays silent while gradually making her way over to their bed as Emi's cries slowly quieten and soften, until they are reduced to a half-hearted grizzle. Eventually, once her daughter is settled enough, Betty takes her spot beside Jughead in bed again, leaning against the bed-head too as she pulls the covers over herself with one hand.

"Betty?"

Jughead repeats his wife's name, eyes narrowing on her as she remains silent, avoiding his question which he hasn't forgotten. However, she continues to remain silent, more focused on rocking her daughter under her husband's watchful glance than she is on answering him.

Now that the opportunity has presented itself, Jughead is pressing the matter which has been in the back of his mind for a couple of weeks now. After all, since bringing Emi home, Jughead has sensed a type of obligation in his wife, almost as though -no matter what-  _she_ must attend to her daughter before  _he_  has to. It's like she's under compulsion to do it, while he shouldn't have to lift a finger... It's like Emi is  _her_  problem.

So, Jughead shuffles closer to his wife and daughter, putting an arm around Betty's shoulders with a sigh as he raises his growing suspicions to her gently.

"Betty? If Emi shared my DNA would you still care about whether or not you were the one to get to her first?"

Betty continues trying to dodge her husband's glance as she remains completely silent. However, without her saying a single word, they  _both_  know the answer to Jughead's question, loud and clear.

"Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that you feel like I shouldn't have to handle her."

Exhaling a deep sigh, Betty glances up to her husband before quickly looking away, almost as though she's embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"Caring for a baby isn't exactly a walk in the park, Jughead... I don't want her to bother you and I don't want to take you for granted, because I love having you here with us. I don't want to take any chances on that..."

After opening up to Jughead, Betty keeps her focus on her daughter and avoids his baby-blue eyes as she rocks Emi before continuing to speak to her husband in a low whisper.

"So,  _so what_  if it just means a little bit more work on my part... You're doing something incredible for me and Emi, so I just want to make that easier on you."

This time it's Jughead's turn to exhale a sigh, looking at his wife sympathetically for thinking that she needs to carry this and shoulder the weight of doing her best to care for the newborn all on her own, even though he's right by her side. However, before he says a single word to address that, Jughead presses a loving kiss to the very top of her hair.

"Oh, Betts... Look, I understand your insecurity and I appreciate that you are trying to make it easier on me. But, I signed up for this. I'm her father. She's  _half_  my responsibility. All the dirty nappies, all the grizzling, all the rude awakenings in the early hours of the morning, it's all my responsibility, too. We're a team, okay?"

Glancing away from Emi who is settling and calming down within her mother's loving arms, Betty looks up to Jughead earnestly. She looks up to him almost looking a little fearful before she speaks up so honestly to him, breaking his heart.

"I don't want you to get sick of us, Juggie. I  _have to_  be here for Emi... But, you don't."

Jughead exhales another sigh. Hearing Betty's concerns despite the fact that they are married and despite everything that the two of them have been through so far is a little hard for Jughead to hear. However, he can't blame his wife for still being a little cautious and reserved. So, Jughead just focuses on trying to silence the little voice in the back of her mind that is feeding her whispers of insecurity.

"I chose you guys, Betts. I want you. I want Emi. I want the wake ups and the dirty nappies and all of that. I want to help you. I want our family."

Betty glances up to her husband before her head falls back against his chest from where he already has his arm wrapped around her. Jughead can see the resignation in her and he knows that he's won the round, successful in proving his point to Betty as she resigns to let him in a little more than she has since bringing Emi home.

So, Jughead presses another kiss to his wife's head before turning his attention to their daughter who is still wide-awake, squirming within Betty's arms.

"Is she hungry? How about you feed her and then I'll settle her while you try and get some sleep."

" _Fine_..." Betty says, accepting defeat as she presses a kiss to her husband's cheek, just to convey even the smallest amount of gratitude for him with her gesture.

#

Ever since they have arrived home with Emi, Jughead has made the most of any opportunity to badger Betty about a visit to  _Pop's_ , desperate for a little family excursion.

After all, it is  _his_  place... It's  _their_ place... It's the place where Jughead spent so many of his homeless nights, in avoidance of finding a place to crash after the drive-in was razed, opting for the red booths and refills of black coffee instead... It's the place where Jughead proposed to Emi's mother... It's the place where they had had their wedding reception... It's the place that holds  _so_  many fonder memories for both Jughead and Betty over the years... So, naturally, it's the place that he wants to share it with their daughter.

So, when she finally feels up to trying to conquer their first outing with their newborn, Betty fulfills Jughead's request that weekend as they venture to  _Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe_  for the very first time as a family of three.

Entering the diner, the sound of the ringing bell above the door alerts the business owner to the Jones's presence as the business owner habitually looks up to see who has entered his establishment. Then, from where he's slaving away at the stove-top, Pop Tate's face lights up with delight at two of his best customers, dropping his spatula and enlisting a waitress to take over with the burger that he's flipping in order to allow him to promptly make his way around the counter and greet the little family.

"Welcome back! So is this the new little nighthawk?"

Betty scoffs at the irony of the truth behind the older man's remark from where she's standing beside Jughead who simply chuckles at his own nickname from the diner owner.

"'Nighthawk' is spot on, alright..." Betty chuckles before introducing her daughter to Pop as she strokes the side of Emi's face from where she's being held in Jughead's arms. "But, yes, this is Emi... Give it a few years and I'm sure she'll be one of your best customers, spending all of her pocket money here, too."

As his wife introduces their daughter to the diner owner who they have grown up in front of, Jughead just smiles proudly. Not only is the new dad proud to show Emi off  _in_  the diner, but he's also thrilled to show off the diner  _to_  Emi.

Then with Pop Tate announcing that their meal is on him for the families first outing together, Jughead chooses and trails over to 'their' booth. It's the booth where Jughead had proposed and it's the booth where they had eaten burgers and fries for their wedding reception. Meanwhile, Betty trails behind her husband and her baby, listening to Jughead's commentary as he discreetly whispers to Emi from where he is holding her close, resting against his chest and in his arms.

"You're gonna love it here, Emi... I think you're going to be a little vanilla-milkshake girl like your mum. Now, I will warn you though, some of the booths are comfier than others. The ones that  _look_  the nicest and newest are usually the most uncomfortable, so there's a little tip, bubba. Also, with the jukebox, I've worked out if you kick it once on each side it will let you get a song for free. Only one song though, that's the only problem, or at least until the next person puts a coin in."

As Jughead slowly takes his seat beside Betty, taking extra care with the precious cargo in his arms, he notices the beautiful blonde is already seated and looking up at him with an amused smirk plastered on her face.

" _What?_ "

"Are you alright there?" Betty teases as Jughead shuffles across, closer to her in their seat at the booth.

"What? I'm just bestowing all my wisdom about the intricacies of  _Pop's_  onto our little girl."

"Yes... Emi is beyond  _thrilled_  to know which booth is the most comfortable because it moulds around you perfectly."

Although Betty is teasing her husband, she leans over to press a kiss to his cheek as a flush spreads across his face after her light-hearted taunt.

"But, don't be embarrassed, Jug... It's  _sweet_ " she reassures, stroking his cheek lovingly before she continues to speak.

"... And, I'm sure Emi will get good use out of your little jukebox hack...  _One day_."

#

After Betty and Jughead had lunch at  _Pop's_ , Jughead had approached Pope Tate inquired about whether or not there were any positions going at the diner or if he needed any help, mentioning that he's been seeking work to support his family. After all, as-per the condition behind Betty's parents approval for Jughead and Betty to marry, they expected him to find part-time, after-school and weekend work in order to start saving for a deposit for their own place.

Although he was getting by without the addition of anymore staff, Pop Tate had been more than willing to not only help a young family, but also his best customer out, offering Jughead a part-time job after school three days and on weekends. With a laugh, Pop Tate told Jughead that he could just about train himself up, before concluding that he'll be added to the roster, due to start next week.

Despite how seamlessly it has come together, working is just another thing to add to Betty and Jughead's plates that are not just full, but now  _overflowing._

This sentiment is something that is playing on Jughead's mind as he lies there awake, spending a long time tossing and turning since he first went to bed that night.

Then, as Jughead subconsciously listens to Betty's soft snores from beside him, he is quick to note the additional sound when a low grizzle and escalating cry begins, coming from elsewhere within Jughead's new bedroom.

Throwing the quilt off of himself, Jughead rushes out of bed as quickly and as quietly as he can. Then, he is standing in front of Emi's bassinet, hauling her out and into his arms within seconds.

Knowing that Betty is quick to wake, alert to any noise from their daughter, Jughead immediately carries Emi out of the bedroom that the little family are sharing, before noting the wafts of stench that are emanating from her nappy, determining where Jughead is headed next.

Hushing her gently and calmly, Jughead carries the newborn into Polly's old bedroom that will eventually become Emi's once she's old enough to move out from the bassinet in Betty and Jughead's room.

Currently, the other bedroom on the top storey of the Coopers home is at a halfway point between  _being_  Polly's and  _becoming_  Emi's.

After all, Polly's old bed is still located in the center of the room, but there's also a larger cot being kept in the corner of the room, also. Being just two weeks old, the newborn would look absolutely  _minuscule_  in at the present-time. Additionally, the room also houses Emi's changing table and her mountain of clothes that are being kept in the bedroom, with these additions really being the only touches that differentiate it from being the room that Polly left before moving to Maine with her babies.

Walking into the bedroom, Jughead quickly sets Emi atop her change-table, turning the overhanging mobile on to try and settle her while he focuses on changing her nappy as quietly as he can. Fortunately, and like Betty, Jughead has been working up a bit of speed in the time it takes to change her nappy with each time he does the very same task over and over again in the two weeks since bringing Emi home from the hospital.

Once she is fresh and changed, Jughead carries Emi back out into the hallway and then downstairs to the kitchen, hoping that it's the place where the  _least_  noise will reverberate around the Cooper home, in order to avoid waking anyone else up.

However, walking downstairs and into the kitchen, Jughead is quick to note that he and Emi aren't the only ones awake, quickly spotting his father-in-law who is leaning against the bench nearest to the kitchen sink, with a cup of water in-hand.

"Hey" Jughead says in a low whisper as he rocks the baby in his arms. Emi's grizzles are slowly diminishing as she relaxes within his familiar arms. "Sorry... I hope we didn't wake you."

Hal Cooper simply shakes his head as he swallows his mouthful of water.

"You're fine. I was already awake. Is she not sleeping again?"

"No... She has been asleep but she needed a nappy change. I was already awake so I wanted to try and settle her down before she woke Betty. But, now's for the fun part... Trying to get her  _back_  to sleep" Jughead chuckles, gazing down to the bright-eyed baby in his arms as she looks around the room without focus. From his research, Jughead knows that apparently it will still be another few weeks before Emi's able to focus on particular things and make eye contact.

Across the room, Hal nods in response to Jughead's explanation as the room then falls to silence. He continues gulping at his water while watching his son-in-law walk around the room, rocking the squirming newborn in his arms as he alternates between whispering reassurances into her ear and pressing gentle, loving kisses to the top of her head while he tries to settle the baby.

Then, suddenly, after a few minutes of watching Jughead and Emi together, Hal suddenly speaks up, addressing his son-in-law.

"I respect you, Jughead. After everything that you're doing for Betty and Emi, I have a great deal of respect for you."

Jughead just shrugs complacently, like it's no big deal and no hard ask. After all, to him, it  _isn't_.

"Thank you, but I love them... The girls shouldn't have to suffer for what happened to Betty and for the fact that without me, Emi wouldn't have a father."

Hal nods slowly, inhaling a deep breath before replying to his son-in-law from across the room.

"And, like I said, I respect you for that. You're a bigger man that a lot of men that are double your age."

What Hal Cooper  _doesn't_  tell his youngest daughter's husband is the fact that as alludes to those other men as a generalisation, he's really referring to  _himself_ , knowing that he'd never be able to do what Jughead has proved and continues to prove he's doing.

After the two men share a small smile from either side of the Coopers kitchen, Hal walks over to Emi who is still wide-awake and squirming within Jughead's arms, gently stroking his granddaughter's forehead for just a moment. Then, just as he begins to walk off and out of the room, Hal turns back to his son-in-law with a final word of advice.

"Jughead? Try gently stroking down Emi's nose to get her to sleep. That always used to work for me on Betty."

Across the room, Jughead gives his father-in-law a small smile of gratitude at the olive branch that has just been extended to him.

"Thanks."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you are liking the little bits of family fluff... Enjoy it! There's more of that to come, but things start to change a bit when the mystery begins to kick off at around chapter 37. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left a comment on the last chapter! I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter... Anything and everything, let me know!
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead and Betty face the struggles that come with Jughead returning to school.


	33. A Day Of Firsts

**CHAPTER THIRTY THREE: A Day Of Firsts**

The day that Emi hits three weeks old also marks Jughead's first day back to school since her birth, with Betty due to return the following week.

Before their daughter was born, Jughead and Betty had made a diligent effort in trying to do all they could to get ahead in school. Fortunately, they had both been successful in their efforts and managed to blaze ahead with most of their subjects, leaving just a handful of assignments that remained to be submitted along with a few exams that they have to revised for before summer break. Then, in addition to their own efforts, since Emi's birth their friends have left notes and relayed any important information and due dates to the new parents, to ensure they stay up-to-date with it all.

#

When Monday morning rolls around, Jughead wakes up to an empty bed. Then, once he's dressed and ready to go, he makes his way downstairs to where the young wife and mother has already been up for an hour at least, seeing as she had stayed awake after waking up to feed Emi just before six thirty that morning. Although he smells the evidence long before he sees it, he walks into the kitchen to see Betty just finishing off the full, cooked breakfast that she's making for herself and Jughead for his first day back.

"Morning wifey" Jughead grins as he walks across the kitchen and over to the blonde who is pulling the fresh toast out of the toaster, buttering the slices before putting them on a plate. "This smells  _amazing_."

As Jughead reaches her, he wraps his arms around Betty's waist from behind, pressing a kiss to her neck before twirling her around within his arms to face him, pulling her in for a soft kiss.

"Good morning" she smiles, her lips still inches from his. "First day back... How does it feel?"

"Eh... School's school" Jughead just says, responding with a complacent shrug.

Not that he'd ever say it out loud, but if Jughead is being  _completely_  honest, there's a very small part of him that is actually looking forward to returning to school. After all, seeing as everything in life has changed so much, so quickly, there's the tiniest piece within Jughead that is excited about regaining a measure of normality after the recent whirlwind of months that have been his life.

So, as much as he loves his girls and as much as he loves his life, a small part of Jughead is looking forward to being a normal seventeen-year-old, even just for the day. But, he'd  _never_  admit to that.

"What about you? How are  _you_  feeling? First day all on your own with bubba..."

After all, while today marks Jughead's return to school, it also marks Betty's first day home alone with her newborn daughter, while her husband's at school and her parents are both at work.

In answer to his question, Betty simply swats a hand in the air complacently as she turns back to the meal she's preparing, filling the plate in front of her with sizzling bacon, eggs served sunny-side-up, and fried tomatoes to accompany the fresh toast.

"We'll be fine. I'm glad I've had a couple of weeks to warm up and get a hang of it, but Emi and I have got this. We're good. We've both spent weeks getting into the swing of things with her now, so I'm not too worried about doing it alone."

Jughead smiles at Betty, pressing another kiss to her lips before she hands him the loaded plate of breakfast.

"You'll be great. Thanks for breakfast."

#

For the first and second periods of the school day, Jughead loves it. He's reveling in being back in the classroom, learning, studying and focusing on just being a student, a teenage, rather than a husband and father for a few hours.

However, by the third period and just before his first break of the day, Jughead can feel himself getting a little antsy and churned up, restraining himself from sending Betty a message and checking how she's doing like he wants to.

While Jughead is typically content with staying in the background of discussions during their breaks, when recess rolls around today he finds himself monopolizing the conversation between himself and his friends, taking over with the subject of his girls that are in the forefront of his mind.

The periods in the middle of the day feel tediously long and leave Jughead feeling preoccupied with thinking about what's going on at home, wishing that he  _had_  called Betty during his first break of the day instead of trying to show self-control and restraint and just leaving her to it with Emi.

Consequently, the second that he steps out of the classroom for the beginning of lunchtime, Jughead has his phone in his hand, locating the familiar contact and putting his phone to his ear expectantly. After all, from three weeks of being home all day, every day, with Betty and Emi, Jughead is finding himself missing them like crazy on his first day apart from the girls. However, his attempted calls are only ended, being replaced with automated 'can't talk' messages instead, doing absolutely nothing to remedy Jughead's separation anxiety.

Finally, feeling so close, yet so far from being able to return home, the last two periods of the day seem to drag on endlessly for Jughead until the bell finally bellows out across Riverdale High School, prompting Jughead to hot-foot-it home without a second thought, making his way home as quickly as he can.

However, as he walks through the tree-lined street and as he passes the Andrews residence, he fastens his brisk pace upon hearing familiar cries long before has opened the front door to his new home.

Then, rushing inside, he hears Betty's voice in the moments when his baby stops crying, just for a breath of air before starting all over again. Upon entering the home, he follows the noise, walking through to the kitchen where Betty's patting her daughter's back soothingly as she rocks her in her arms with an frantic urgency.

"Come on bubba. Shhh, shhhh... Come on... Please, Emi...  _Please_. Please stop crying for me bubba" Betty repeats, pleading desperately with the baby in her arms who she's holding like she's clutching at the last straw.

"Please Emi... Please, please, please. Please stop crying. Please bubba. Come on."

There's so much that Jughead can hear in Betty's voice, beyond her words. He can hear her mounting desperation, her anxiety, her distress, her resignation and the way she's fighting as hard as she can in a losing battle to keep it together, all for the sake of the baby in her arms who is relying on her, implicitly.

While Betty had been the picture of grace as a domestic goddess earlier that day, now that he's returned home, Jughead can see what the hours in the day between then and now have done to her, clearly working Betty up into a state.

Her hair has been put up in a messy top knot since he left for school that morning, with flyaway pieces of blonde hair darting out in every direction. She's in her sweat pants that she's just about lived in since Emi's birth, compromising her polished image for comfort. Her typically fair skin is tainted with red and she's feeling visibly hot and flustered, growing beetroot-like from her stress and frustration as she fails to calm her newborn.

However, despite her unpolished and unusually disheveled appearance, she looks just as beautiful to Jughead. Honestly, since moving in and since becoming quite the little domestic, married couple, Jughead has seen Betty's beauty in a whole other light. It's as though the polished pastel look and perfectly bound ponytails are the Betty Cooper that the  _world_  sees. And, honestly, the blonde bed-hair and unconcealed under-eyes that he wakes to are the even more beautiful version of Betty Jones, reserved just for him. However, it's the distress that moves him to feeling, breaking his heart.

"Oh Betts... Here, let me help" Jughead instantly utters, dropping his messenger bag on the spot, taking big strides across the room and over to his wife, holding his arms out to take the bundle in her arms.

As his words tear her focus away from her daughter, Betty catches sight of her husband in the doorway. As he rushes towards her, the young mother finally releases the tears that she's been fighting back and forcing to stay pent-up all day as she reacts to Jughead's offer.

"No!" Betty wails, angling her body away from Jughead's open arms as her body language clearly cuts him off from taking the baby in her arms. "No, Jughead! I have to do this! I'm her mother. I have to be able to look after her!"

Seeing her distress breaks his heart. He wants to help her, but he doesn't want his attempts to push her further away from him. So, the little family of three stand together in the middle of the Coopers kitchen, with the teen mum murmuring reassurances to her crying daughter just as Jughead attempts to whisper comforting words to console his wife. Both Betty and Jughead fail miserably in their attempts.

Then, it's almost as though Jughead can see physically see it from within her as Betty surrenders and crumbles, caving in to his offers and breaking down. Seeing the change in her, Jughead opens his arms and takes their daughter, trying to juggle Emi with consoling Betty as she wails apologetically, guilt-ridden tears streaming down her face as her pent-up anxiety all comes pouring out of her at once.

"I'm sorry, Jughead.  _I'm sorry_... I can't do it, Jughead... I can't do it. I can't stop her crying. I'm her mother. I  _have to_  be able to do it... I'm a bad  _mother!_  I'm a bad  _wife_! I look like a mess. We're  _newlyweds_. You shouldn't have to see your wife like this for a good few years... I haven't washed my hair in days, I'm in sweat pants, I have only done the opposite to losing any of my baby weight and my shirt is covered in baby vomit. I'm a mess. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."

Almost instantly after being shifted from the arms of one of her parents to the other, Emi begins to settle and calm just a little; her small cries becoming less and less intense. It's as though the newborn could sense her mother's distress and upset, only triggering the same response in the baby. However, in Jughead's sure, strong arms, the same baby grows notably calmer.

So, with Emi slowly beginning to settle, Jughead presses a kiss to the top of her tiny forehead, just continuing to rock the newborn on autopilot as he turns his attention to his other girl, focusing on consoling her now.

"You are beautiful, Betty Jones. You're a beautiful person, you're a beautiful mother and you're a beautiful wife. Both inside  _and_  out... Don't –not even for a  _moment_ \- think that I think that you are anything other than beautiful, okay? And, as for Emi, you're learning and she's learning. She could probably tell that you were worked up and that upset her, which upset you... It was just an inescapable vicious circle. But, now, how about you go upstairs and have a nice, long, well-deserved, bath in peace and I'll bore Emi to oblivion as I tell her all about my chemistry work I'm revising for."

A deep breath of fresh air along with Jughead's words brings Betty a sense of clarity that she'd thought impossible just minutes earlier, giving her a fresh outlook and a light at the end of what had been an extremely long, extremely tiring and extremely  _loud_  tunnel, exhaling two words as she leaves the room.

" _Thank you._ "

#

A little under an hour later, Betty emerges from the upstairs bathroom to  _silence_. Although Emi's ongoing cries that have filled her entire day still ring and echo through her, Betty is also aware that her surrounds are silent.

The total silence is up against the feeling of freshly washed hair, smoothly shaved legs, the comfort of her soft and fluffy dressing gown that envelopes her body, the enriching result of her face mask, the feeling of her exfoliated and richly moisturised skin and the ongoing effects of her first luxuriously long bath since her daughter's birth.

Betty isn't sure which she relishes  _more_ ; the feeling of being reminded that she's not just her baby's personal cow, or, the peace that comes from total silence.

Creeping out of the bathroom and stepping into her bedroom, Betty immediately spots Jughead who has his back to her from where he's looking down to something on her dresser;  _their_  dresser. Then, judging by his motion as he steps between one foot and the other, rocking gently, it's quite clear that he's holding his daughter in his arms although Betty can't see Emi from where she's standing in the doorway of her room.

Then, hearing the motion and sensing her behind him, Jughead looks back towards Betty, a small smile coming across his lips as he lays eyes on her.

"How are you feeling?" Jughead checks in a low whisper, looking at her as his smile is replaced with concern.

The sight of her husband standing there, in her room, gently holding her daughter protectively and raised against his chest as he presses a gentle kiss to the top of Emi's head melts her. Since she last saw him, he's removed the heavy layers of his jackets, just leaving him in his trademark 'S' shirt that accentuates his trim figure. It's also one of the few times of day when he's abandoned his beanie in the privacy of their bedroom, leaving dark, messy curls to fall in front of and around his face. It leaves Betty swooning over the man that she can't believe is all  _hers_.

Then, walking across the room, Betty comes up behind him, with a clearer view of what he's doing. Holding Emi who is completely calm but still wide awake in his arms, Jughead is rocking their daughter rhythmically as he multitasks, trying to settle her while simultaneously studying up as he reads from his psychology textbook that is opened out on the top of her dresser.

"I'm feeling so much better. Thank you. I'm so sorry for my meltdown."

"Don't apologise, wifey. You had a big day. Looking after bubba on your own for the very first time is a pretty big deal."

Smiling at his reassurances and his nickname for her, Betty wraps her arms around him as her hands crawl around his waist from behind, to where they come to rest just above the waistband of his jeans as she rests on him and leans against him from behind.

Meanwhile, Jughead's revision on the placebo effect is long forgotten about as he revels in the moment of having one of his girls completely content to be in his arms as the other presses a lingering kiss to his shirt-clad shoulder from where she's wrapped around him from behind, reflecting on her appreciation for him.

" _You_  are amazing, Jughead Jones. And,  _I_ am the luckiest girl in the world."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bit more hurt/comfort fluff in this one. I think it's what we have all needed since 2x05 hit. Hope you all loved it! I'd love to know what you thought. Feedback motivates me immensely.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read and commented the last chapter. I appreciate the support from you all enormously.
> 
> Next chapter: It's Betty's turn to return to school. Then, Betty is caught off-guard when Chuck comes face-to-face with Emi.


	34. Ripples On The Pond

**CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR: Ripples On The Pond**

In the late stages of her pregnancy and in the lead up to Emi's birth, Betty had attended a number of appointments with the school counselor and her teachers in order to discuss the avenues and options available to her in continuing her education after her daughter's birth. As a result and after a lot of consultation and a lot of discussion and a lot of deliberation over Betty and Jughead's situation, it had been decided for Emi to accompany her parents in their classes, at least until she is old enough to be away from Betty and is able to stay with Alice or another babysitter for the day.

Ultimately, their teachers just wanted to keep Jughead and  _especially_  Betty in school rather than having one or both of them feeling pushed into having to drop out of school in order to have to care for their newborn.

So, consequently, Emi was allowed to attend Betty and Jughead's classes on the proviso and under the strict condition that she is just like any other student in that she is not allowed to disturb the class. If she begins distracting their classmates or if she grows unsettled and cries, she needs to be taken out of the classroom and cared for away from the other students and until she's calm enough to return.

In juggling Emi with their classes, Betty and Jughead's timetables make for quite a mix. The couple have three classes they share, during which they'll be able to share the responsibility for their daughter at the same time. Then, both Betty and Jughead have three classes independently of each other, while there are another two periods when either Betty or Jughead have a free, enabling them to care for Emi without the pressure of the classroom environment.

However, even though it is the best outcome in a situation that is so far from ideal, Betty is still beyond nervous to face school and the monsters that creep around Riverdale High School with her daughter...

#

On her first day back to school and after Emi's five thirty wake-up that morning, Betty decides to stay up as her husband and daughter sleep on for a while longer. Betty's spending the time going over her checklists and double, triple, checking that she has absolutely everything she may possibly need for the day ahead.

It has not been all that long since her last day of school. However, in that short time, she has become both a wife and a mother. So, waking up, rolling out of bed and getting ready for school that morning hadn't been quite the same for Betty and she can't imagine it ever will be again...

Instead of just doing her minimal hair and makeup before checking that she's got her textbook for maths and her novel for English, she's now having to prepare for a whole world of alternatives that her baby may throw at her throughout the day. Not to mention, she also has to get a whole other person ready for their day ahead, too.

A couple of hours later, Jughead is up and doing his bare minimum for his morning routine, as usual. So long as he's showered, in a fresh 'S' shirt with his Sherpa jackets, jeans, a flannelette around his waist and with his beanie firmly fixed on his head, he's good to go. For good measure, he also checks he's got some spare paper and a pen in his bag.

While Betty's doing her hair and pulling back every tiny hair into her signature, tight ponytail, Jughead checks if she wants him to dress Emi, knowing their morning routine enough to know that that will be the task that Betty will move onto next.

So, after carefully selecting an outfit for little Emi's very first day joining them at school and getting Betty's tick of approval, he's standing across the room, busily changing the squirming baby. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room Betty is now fossicking with something in her school bag, moving it to Emi's nappy bag as Jughead muses jovially.

"She's growing up so fast, Betts. I mean, I just can't believe it's Emi's first day of high school  _already_... It feels like it was just the other day when we were bringing her home from the hospital..."

Stealing her glance away from where she is busily going about her tasks, Betty looks up for long enough to roll her eyes at Jughead's dramatics, catching him put Emi's little booties onto her tiny feet gently across the room.

"I mean, people always tell you that they grow up quick, and even though you  _think_  you're making the most of every moment, but you're never really prepared for it..."

After he ensures Emi's little outfit is done up correctly, Jughead scoops the newborn up into his arms as he exhales a deep sigh, trailing off melancholically while Betty fails to suppress her giggle.

"You dork..."

Jughead just grins across the room, pleased with himself over the impact that his humour has on his wife. After all, it's the first thing that's been able to distract her from her mounting nerves and anxieties of checklists that she's been plagued by from the moment she got out of bed.

However, the sweet little moment is over far too soon as Betty realises that she has reached the end of her to-do list for preparing for school, forcing her to face the fact that she'd been running from and attempting to keep her mind off by staying busy.

Noticing the sudden change in Betty's mood followed by her deep sigh, Jughead looks up and over to her from across the room with concern.

"What's up? Do you need a hand with anything?"

She knows they need to get a move on and that they don't really have too much time to stand around chatting before they need to head off if they're going to make it in time for school. However, Betty can't stop herself from delaying for a moment, biting her lip, glancing over to her husband and daughter and then looking down to the ground.

"What if we, you know..."

Jughead's face scrunches up, a little smirk quirking on the corner of his lips.

"What if we, you know,  _what_? I like to think that I know you well and I can read your thoughts, but there is a  _lot_  of different ways that sentence could go, Betts..."

"What if we see certain classmates? What if we see  _him_?"

Crossing her arms in front of her, Betty's nerves only grow as she bites onto the corner of her lips and her voice lowers, getting to the real point as she looks over to her daughter.

"...  _Chuck_. I don't like my chances of being able to avoid him completely, but I don't want him to see her. I don't want him anywhere near her."

Jughead exhales a sigh. His face drops as he nods, looking to the same little girl that she is.

"We will cross that bridge  _if_  we come to it. But, it doesn't matter what he might try and do or what he might say. I'm right here for you and Emi. Besides, I can't imagine him trying to own up to being Emi's father. It would only implicate himself. Honestly, I'm sure that he's just as keen to leave things as they are as we are."

As she nods at his reassuring words and logic, the smallest of smiles flickers on the corners of Betty's lips as she strides across the room, over to her husband and bounces up on her tippy-toes to press a quick kiss to his lips. Their peck is followed by one to their daughter's forehead from where she's wriggling around in Jughead's arms, before Betty speaks up again, with far more confidence this time.

"Love you both. Let's do this."

Then, Betty returns to madly carriving out the final things she needs to do for the day ahead as Jughead rocks Emi, offering to help her as he follows her manic footsteps, racing here and there and everywhere frantically as her nerves continue to rise over the day ahead...

#

Betty's first period of the day had been a free, giving her a chance to prepare herself and Emi mentally and physically for the day ahead given that she is taking the big step of returning to school and bringing her newborn with her for the very first time.

Then, with Betty waiting outside Jughead's classroom for as soon as his first lesson ended, their daughter was handed from one parent to the other like a little baton with Jughead having a free period while Betty had to race off for her first class the day.

During the first break of the day, Betty had to feed Emi between lessons before she and Jughead both had a double of English together, with Emi sleeping through like a dream.

However, while Emi herself had been well-behaved and easy to manage for the majority of the day thus far, her  _presence_  on her first day at school had caused more of a stir seeing as her parents classmates hare developed a sudden interest in her questionable paternity.

By lunch time, the rumours had began coming in thick and fast, circling around the school as more and more people met and saw little Emi for the very first time...

As a result, the wagers and whispers had begun between Jughead and Betty's classmates with Trev Brown, Chuck Clayton, a student from Greendale and Pop Tate's slightly older nephew, Finn being raised as potential fathers... Basically anyone other than Jughead.

However, Trev had been pinned as the most likely candidate and strongest possibility according to their classmates after a couple of then noted that they'd remembered catching him on a date with Betty at  _Pop's_  several months earlier. From there, the speculation had spread like wildfire with more and more classmates chiming in and adding to the story, saying how tense they looked and in hindsight, someone is  _sure_  that they heard them discussing a baby heatedly.

Poor Trev was barely aware of the sudden rumours encompassing him before it had spread throughout the school that he was strongly suspected as Betty's baby daddy.

However, while most people were keeping their suspicions hushed and whispered, there is one person in that school who faces it head on, blazing up to the table of one group in particular.

"Well, well, well Betty Coops... I never took you for such a bike. So who's the daddy?"

" _Me_. Now get lost" Jughead hisses with a scowl, speaking up and defending his wife who he can sense is feeling uncomfortable under the pressure and unwanted attention, looking away and fidgeting with the sleeve of her sweater.

Reggie Mantle then turns his focus to Jughead this time, lowering his voice as though Jughead  _isn't_  sitting at a crowded table.

"Yo, Wednesday Addams, I'll shout you a DNA test. Call it a bro helping out a bro... I think your missus might have something to tell you."

Jughead ignores his classmate, laying one hand to the small of Betty's back, reassuringly, from where he's seated next to her, silently reminding her that he's still right there, beside her. Then, from where he's holding her in his free arm, Jughead presses a kiss to the very top of his newborn's head. It's as if he's compensating for his classmate's slanderous words and even though they would mean nothing to his infant daughter, he just wants her to know... He wants her to  _always_ know.

Then, this time it is Archie who pipes up and comes to his friend's defence.

"Leave it, Reg. She's Betty and Jughead's baby, spread the word."

Glancing back to the newborn in Jughead's arms, Reggie scoffs incredulously, shaking his head in disbelief, muttering something under his breath as he walks off.

However, even after he's long gone, Reggie's question leaves an uncomfortable silence that remains, shrouding the group. After all, despite their own strong suspicions, their friends still don't even know the answer to the question that is now on everyone lips...

#

After lunch and for the final double period of the day, Jughead has psychology while Betty has a health lesson, taking Emi with her. As the girls enter the classroom and settle in, Emi is fast asleep in her mother's arms and Betty is hoping that all going well, she should stay that way after her lunchtime feed.

Nearing the end of one, long day, Betty can just about see the finish line. The family of three have  _almost_  made it through their first day, victorious.

_The end is in sight..._

However, Betty had not counted on the presence of the tall, buff man that has just walked through the classrooms doorway as confident and arrogant as ever, just after the class begins. After all, for the majority of the year, Chuck has been tied up with training and extracurriculars that had coincided with this period and study line, meaning that he was almost always absent from the class only returning regularly while she'd been away from school over the last month.

Despite his air of arrogance, as he catches sight of his classmate in the middle of the room and, more so, the sleeping pink bundle in her arms, it makes Chuck skip a beat, proceeding to catch  _him_  off guard as much as it does  _her_. In fact, if you are standing close enough to him in that moment, you'd be able to hear the way Chuck's breath hitches and the way he swallows before he continues on as normal, eyes locked on Betty and the baby in her arms.

As the jock walks past Betty's seat, he slows his pace down to look down at the two of them for as long as he can, as discreetly as he can, while he is making his way back to his seat. His lingering steps leave Betty holding her breath uncomfortably.

Then, even though he is sitting two rows behind her and her daughter, Betty still can't shake the way Chuck's presence makes her skin crawl. So, distracting herself, Betty pours all her focus onto the teacher standing in front of the whiteboard, though the words feel blurred and the noise sounds distant. She's just focusing on pulling through and steadying her shallow breathing as she pats Emi's back rhythmically, soothing both herself and her daughter.

However, despite her best efforts to turn her focus away from the one man in particular sitting behind her, Betty can't shake the feeling of being watched. Several times she turns around and glances behind herself, just catching Chuck as he looks away or quickly shifts his focus. So, she holds her little girl closer and tighter in her arms, feeling the instinctual maternal defensiveness in her, despite her own distress as her heart pounds -deep and heavy- from within her, each thump a constant, persistent reminder of her fear.

However, she fights through it, she pulls through and each moment feels that little easier... That is  _until_  a single hand goes flying up from a few rows behind her, not stopping for permission to speak before he talks over the teacher, disrupting the class.

"Sir. Excuse me, sir. I can't see the board. I need to move closer to the front."

The teacher rolls his eyes and waves a hand, signalling for Chuck to do as he has asked, taking the path of least resistance with the troublesome student. So, with a grin of victory, Chuck quickly gathers up his bag and notepad that he hadn't touched from where it sat on the desk like a decoration before he makes his way a few rows closer to the front, quickly dumping his stuff as he claims the spare seat beside Betty.

As he lowers himself into the seat beside her that is far, far too close for comfort, Betty's entire body grows tense as she instantly shifts her daughter from one shoulder, before propping Emi up against the other, instinctively, further from Chuck. The young mother is holding her daughter as far away from her biological father as she possibly can in that moment as she clutches her from where she's nestled against her shoulder, laying one gentle hand to the back of Emi's head.

Protecting Emi from Chuck's view, Betty doesn't want him to see her... She doesn't want him to see her big, beautiful, brown eyes. She doesn't want him to see her full, ruby-red lips. She doesn't want him to see her adorable, rosy, chubby cheeks. She doesn't want him to see any part of Emi at all,  _ever,_  doing everything she can to keep her from his sight, from his touch, from  _everything_.

Once she has ensured that her daughter is safe and away from the man beside her, Betty then focuses on the fear that is pulsing through her veins at the predicament that she is in, firmly lodged between a rock and a hard place... After all, she's safe in the middle of the classroom filled with their fellow students. Despite how uncomfortably close they are to Chuck, they're  _safe_. However, if she responds to her natural inclination to get up and get out of there by mustering up some excuse about needing to change Emi or settle the already sleeping baby, not only will Betty be giving in to him in the power play, but she'd also be exposing herself to the possibility of him following them out and into the empty corridors.

Consequently, needing to make a tough decision, Betty decides to stay there in her seat deciding to try and ride the storm out, holding her daughter protectively with her mama-bear mode in full force as she keeps her eyes fixed straight ahead, trying to appear as though she is not perplexed by Chuck's presence at all, despite her heart pounding within her.

Then, after a few minutes of Betty remaining strong and focused, out of the corner of her eye she notes the boyish scrawl etched on the corner of the pad of paper that is being pushed towards her deliberately in order to catch her attention.

_Do I need to sign anything? Birth certificate or something?_

Betty's eyes quickly glance down for just a moment, long enough to simply get the gist of the note before she once again turns her attention away from him, fixing it firmly on her teacher standing at the front of the classroom.

Betty does not say a single thing about the fact that no, he doesn't, and that  _'Forsythe Pendleton Jones III'_  is already printed on the birth certificate of little Emilie Elizabeth Jones. So, instead of saying or doing a single thing in acknowledgement of Chuck's note, Betty does her best to turn her attention away from him, attempting to seem disinterested as she focuses on her keeping her nervous shaking as inconspicuous as possible.

Then a dark hand wielding a blue pen returns to the corner of the paper as it scrawls for another brief moment before exposing it for her to see once again.

_I_ _ know _ _she's mine... Can we talk?_

Chuck gives it a few moments, waiting for some response or some acknowledgement that he never receives as Betty maintains her strong ice queen stature and gaze, looking  _away_  from his words.

Then, once again, the same hand returns to the paper for just a mere moment before being shifted closer to the young mother to see.

_She's beautiful Betty_

Betty's stomach churns. She fears that she's at risk of losing her lunch from the three, simple, and completely true words.

She struggles to believe that without the monster beside her -the object of her nightmares- she wouldn't have the perfect, innocent baby girl who she loves with all heart, in her arms right now, if it wasn't for him... How can something so  _wonderful_  come from, as a result of, something so, horribly  _awful_?

Betty's heart continues to pound. Now, she's doing everything in her power to block the man beside of her out and away from her mind, feeling increasingly nauseous as she sits there, fighting every urge that she has to get up and leave as fast as she can. So, she focuses on Emi, she focuses on the teacher, she focuses on the tiny dot of black marker on the corner of the whiteboard that hadn't been wiped off properly. Betty focuses on absolutely  _anything_  she can that will steal her attention away for even just a second.

Before entering that class, Betty was optimistic and hopeful and the end of a long, first day back was in sight. But, now, Betty cannot wait for that moment to come. She cannot wait for the bell to mark the end of the day and she cannot wait for the moment to come where she can slip out and follow the flood of other students, carrying her away from her attacker safely...

#

The second that that school bell goes, Betty is up and out of her seat, carrying her daughter out of that door as fast as she can. She's holding Emi close and tight as she glides her way through her classmates, ignoring the calls of her name behind her. If Chuck  _really_  wanted to catch up with her, she knows he could have and she knows that he's fast enough to catch up to her. However, after she's made her way out into the school corridor and after turning the corner to head for the front doors of the school, the voice behind her comes to a stop as he seems to surrender in his attempts.

Still, Betty keeps her pace up, carefully rushing through the school, ignoring all the looks from her fellow students that she is getting for carrying her baby around. Betty keeps on walking and she keeps on ignoring, until she sees her saving grace in the comforting sight of a woolen crown beanie where she had agreed to meet her husband out the front of the school to walk home.

Taking a deep breath, Betty adjusts Emi in her arms, allowing her to swipe at her damp, glassy eyes with the sleeve of her sweater before she marches over to Jughead who spots her when she's just a few steps away. His face just lights up at the sight of the two girls, pressing a kiss to Betty's lips and offering to take Emi's nappy bag that contains Betty's schoolbooks, too.

"How'd you girls go?" Jughead checks as he peers down at the little pink bundle in Betty's arms. Emi had started waking up in the last ten minutes of the final class of the day, waking gently after just a few whimpers. Seeing her big brown eyes looking around hazily as she blinks slowly from within her mother's loving arms, Jughead can't resist his smile at seeing Emi's sleepy disposition. Then, the new dad reaches out to gently touch and stroke the newborn's plump cheeks with the pad of his thumb. Judging by her routine so far, Jughead expects that they'll probably get another few minutes of peace from Emi before she'll get her afternoon grumps and be looking for more food.

"Fine..." Betty says simply, not quite winning Jughead over with her unconvincing answer. He gives her a once-over, looking at her a little more intently with a furrowed brow.

"Betts? What's wrong? Did something happen during class?"

Betty suppresses the sigh that she wants to exhale. Instead she just shakes her head, looking up to the boy who is standing beside her, watching her closely.

"We're fine."

Despite her words, Betty can't help the way that her eyes grow a little more serious, just as Jughead's do, too... He's not quite sure that he believes what she's telling him. After all, her words aren't convincing him and the look on her face is doing little to reassure him either. So, Jughead's eyes narrow with concern as he questions her reassurance with an incredulous glance.

"Betts?"

Betty attempts to tell Jughead the very same thing once again, enunciating one word in a manner that does  _nothing_  to alleviate her husband's growing concerns.

"Everything is  _fine.._."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what started off a little light and fluffy took a pretty strong turn. Not only has Chuck seen Emi, but now Betty knows that he definitely knows she's their daughter. And, it's only going to get more complicated with their classmates growing suspicious over Emi's biological father, which their closest friend's certainly haven't forgotten about either. Also, I hope that Betty & Jughead managing with school comes off as realistic. Although it's an unusual situation, I knew of one girl in the year below me in high school who brought briefly before going to a specialist school for teen mums. I just didn't think that Riverdale the demand for a specialist teen-parent high school was that high, haha...
> 
> Also, exciting announcement! In the lead up to the upcoming mystery, I have made another video trailer to tease what's ahead. There's a big few chapters coming up with the mystery beginning to kick off in about three chapters time. To see the trailer, either visit my tumblr (riverheadCF) to see the video or follow the link below:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DFxZiuGiM0
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter and especially MotherMaple, Dani, youbuildmeupbeliever and tinnie who left feedback. Thank you!
> 
> Next chapter: Chuck turns the tables on Betty in a power play that doesn't stay between just them, leaving her completely stunned...


	35. Turning Tables

**** PLEASE NOTE: TRIGGER WARNING FOR THE FIRST FEW LINES OF THIS CHAPTER ****

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE: Turning Tables**

Her heart pounds. Her skin develops beads of sweat. Her nerves pulse through her. Her muscles tighten tensely at unwelcome come. Her hands are pinned, trapped. Her pink dress going places that she doesn't want it to. She feels the dread of knowing  _exactly_  what is about to happen, without the strength of being able to do anything to stop it...

" _No, **stop**. No. No... Please, no, no,  **no**. Please, Chuck. Stop..."_

She is so acutely aware of everything -every sense, every movement, every touch- while simultaneously feeling like she's enduring an out-of-body experience, continuing to feel everything as though it's all heavy and hazy, moving in slow-motion.

It's hot. It's intense. It's clammy. It's suffocating. It's draining. It's distressful.

She moves and turns, her movements are heavy and exhausting. She groans. She can't stop the tears streaming down her cheeks as she feels far too much...

Then, in the dead of the night, Jughead's arm that had been wrapped around her goes flying off as Betty bolts upright in bed, panting. Her chest heaves up and down madly as her heart continues to race and pounds within her. Betty can feel the small droplets of moisture that are clustering around her hairline.

Although she has woken up abruptly, Betty knows the ending to the nightmare that has just been cut short...

Then, as two arms fly around Betty, she forcefully pushes off the one that's just been wrapped around her back before shoving the other that touches her shoulder. Since Jughead has moved in with her and her parents, Betty has only woken up in a panic attack twice before. Once was during the first week that they were married and then again a few weeks later when Emi was just a few days old.

"Betty, hey, hey, hey... It's okay. It's okay... It's me. It's only me... You're okay, Betty... You're okay, you're safe... It's okay, baby... Everything's okay."

It's only after several minutes of pushing him away when the sobs that are wracking Betty's body cease for long enough for her to gain perspective, realising she's safe, she's home and she's only fighting off the arms of the man she loves.

Finally, Betty slowly begins to awaken to her surroundings as her body falls into her husband's loving arms. However, her chest continues heaving up and down from the exhaustion of her nightmare, relieving the most horrific night of her life.

After Betty collapses into his arms, Jughead takes it that she's ready for comfort from him rather than needing space. So, he presses gentle, loving kisses to the top of her blonde locks as he soothingly whispers his reassurances in her ear, over and over again.

"It's okay... You're okay... You're safe now. I'm so, so sorry, baby... I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

While he's doing his best to remain calming and soothing for her as he utters his whispered words that are filled with care for his wife, Jughead is simultaneously trying to suppress his rage at the reminder of what Betty had to experience and the deep scars that remain. It makes his blood boil thinking of what Chuck Clayton had done to her in such a selfish, heinous act at Betty's expense, changing her life forever. It churns Jughead's stomach sickeningly and he feels his entire body grow tense with rage. Honestly, it's a wonder that he hasn't murdered Chuck yet...

"Are you okay?" Jughead asks gently, pressing soft kisses to the side of her head. He wishes that there's more he can do for her; he wishes that there was more he  _could have_  done for her...

Betty simply nods her head against Jughead in response to his question as she sniffles into where she's curled up against his chest. Although it's not entirely truthful, Betty takes the simple answer and the easy way out seeing as it's far too hard to try and tell him about how greatly her heart continues to pound. Not to mention, he's well aware of the way her body is shaking fearfully against his, even despite the fact that she had woken up from the recurring nightmare that had been a reality roughly ten months ago.

The newlyweds spend a long time just lying there together, silently, as Jughead does his best to soothe Betty as she relaxes into the safety and security of him, gradually calming her down from her panic attack that she'd woken to after being forced to relieve her nightmare.

She is lying there, sprawled out across Jughead's chest with her arm slung across him as he rests upright against their mountain of pillows, with one of his hands brushing through her loose, blonde locks, soothingly.

Since her rude awakening and wake up a little earlier, Betty's heart rate has been gradually slowing down and her eyes are just beginning to flicker closed... Right as there's  _another_  abrupt awakening that fills the room with noise.

Instantly, Betty groans, knowing that Emi's likely just a little earlier than usual for feed number one of three hundred for today alone. However, before she has the chance to drag herself out of bed to attend to her upset daughter, Jughead squirms out from where she's resting against him as his hand briefly touches her from above the covers before he throws his share of the quilt off of himself.

"It's okay, I'll get her" he says, getting up and walking over to Emi's bassinet in the corner of the room, hushing soothingly until he reaches the newborn, before scooping her up and into his loving arms. Instantly, Jughead turns back around to bring her back to bed with them, holding Emi close as he presses gentle kisses to the top of her head to let her know he's there.

As soon as her husband drops back down beside her on their bed again, Betty reaches out to touch her baby, gently stroking her cheek.

Exhaling a sigh as she glances down at her daughter in the dimly-lit room, one thing is abundantly clear to Betty. Despite all the terrible things that Chuck Clayton has done, not for as single moment does Betty associate her daughter with her biological father's evil, or the horrific violence that resulted in her conception.

As Betty turns her attention away from her nightmares and onto her daughter, within moments of being fawned over by her parents, Emi begins to settle and calm down as her grizzles slowly diminish as she's being gently rocked by Jughead.

"Maybe she wasn't so hungry after all..." Jughead comments, leaning down to press a kiss to Emi's forehead. "We might have just woken her up and then she decided that she wanted in on the action, too."

The young parents spend a few minutes watching their daughter from within Jughead's arms, silently doting over the beautiful baby.

"She's got your eyebrows, Betts" Jughead notes, gently tracing the pad of his thumb over the tiny eyebrow of the baby in his arms before glancing between his two girls, looking from one to the other with a smile.

Jughead doesn't look for any sign of himself in the newborn baby, knowing he'll be sorely disappointed, with the search coming up with nothing. Instead, he just appreciates all the details that makes his daughter  _her_ , with bonuses found in the little facets of his wife that he sees, such as Betty's lips and her big, Bambi eyes just in a deep shade of brown, along with her long, sweeping eyelashes.

"She looks so much older today..." Jughead comments as he leans down and presses a kiss to the top of Emi's forehead, prompting her little legs to kick around more with excitement.

The two parents take in every tiny detail of the little person that they are both slowly getting to know a little better each and every day, adoringly.

Then, as her big, brown eyes look around without focus, looking between Betty and Jughead and then to whatever else catches her attention, Emi begins gurgling and attempting to talk to them in her baby drawl as she does after waking up most mornings. Smiling at her daughter as she babbles away proudly, Betty's index finger slowly draws swirls into Emi's plump cheek, the movement being well-received.

Then, with both Jughead and Betty gazing down at the baby who is looking up to them, Emi's beautiful, full lips, her rosy cheeks and her glistening brown eyes erupt into the biggest smile as her face just lights up.

Instantly, Betty releases a little gasp while Jughead's own smile increases at the sight of the big, gummy grin that has captivated them both.

"That was a smile, Jug!" Betty beams, looking to her husband with pure excitement, her heart only swelling with more delight at seeing his own pride in the newborn, rivaling her own. "That was her first, proper smile!"

Emi had already had one 'smile' at just over a week old, when she was in her uncle Archie's arms... However, seeing his joy as he boasted over the fact that she'd smiled at  _him_ , neither Betty nor Jughead had the heart to tell him it wasn't so much of a smile, as it was just Emi's filling-her-nappy expression.

As she watches Emi intently, Betty leans down from where she's resting against her husband, reaching down to scatter loving kisses all over her daughter with excitement, cooing as she strokes the forehead and cheeks of the baby that she couldn't love more.

"Look at those smiles, beautiful girl! Mummy is so proud of you, bubba..."

Meanwhile, Jughead just presses kisses to the baby's fingers that are curled up around and latching onto his own. Then, he glances over to his wife, elaborating on her doting coos to their daughter.

"I'm so proud of  _both_  of you."

#

It's partway through lunchtime on the Friday of Betty's first week back at school. So far throughout the week, the three of them have survived, avoiding any further run-ins and interaction with Chuck.

During their lunch break so far today, Jughead and Betty have already had lunch with Archie, Veronica and Kevin. The two of them barely even saw their daughter while she was being passed back and forth between their bickering friends before Archie pulled rank as Emi's favourite uncle, seeing as he is both Jughead and Betty's best friend.

Then, a little over halfway through lunch, Betty and Jughead left the group before parting ways with each other, too. After all, Jughead had arranged to meet up with his psychology teacher before class in order to go over his drafted final assignment, receiving feedback to improve his final grade. Meanwhile, after splitting up, Betty went off to go and change Emi's nappy before swapping her school books over and getting her textbook out for her final lesson of the day.

Minutes later, with one of the two tasks done, the young mother now finds herself darting through the crowd of students, holding her daughter close as she lovingly peppers the top of Emi's head with kisses while walking through the corridors to make her way to her locker. Then, after putting her combination in single-handedly, Betty grabs the book she needs and stashes the others that are in Emi's nappy bag and no longer needed.

Exhaling a little huff as she closes her locker, Betty is busily pondering over the fact of how much she's surprising herself and finding it increasingly easier to do almost everything one-handed, with her daughter occupying her arms more often than not since having her.

Then, realising she has time to spare before the school bell will bellow out and mark the end of lunch, Betty plans to slowly make her way towards her classroom for the final of the lesson of the day. However, Betty is quick to realise that her plans have been foiled as a little gasp escapes her lips upon turning around from her locker and coming face-to-face with the tall, broad-shouldered jock who is standing far too close behind her.

After her audible gasp at Chuck's presence, Betty immediately cradles her daughter tighter and more protectively, her heart pounding from where she's standing directly in front of her locker.

"Go away, Chuck. Just leave us alone" Betty pleads, trying not to showcase the weakness in her voice as she concentrates on her heart returning to a steady beat as it continues to thump within her.

However, Chuck just shakes his head as an arrogant smirk erupts on his face.

"No... You ignored me when I tried to make a time to talk about this  _amicably_. But, the thing is, Betty, I want to know  _her_  and I want her to know  _me_."

Betty pours all her strength into trying to remain tenaciously strong, despite being cornered by the man who is standing in front of her, wishing to be anywhere in the world  _but_  here as he continues to speak.

"What's her name?" Chuck asks as he gazes down at the baby in Betty's arms.

As Chuck extends a hand out to Emi -giving her his forefinger as her tiny hand curls around his- it awakens a ferocity in Betty that is anything but forced.

Betty is gentle, but immediate, as she takes Emi's tiny hand into her own, pushing Chuck's finger away from her daughter's grasp before scooping Emi closer to her from where she had been cradled in her arms. She is now holding Emi against her chest as she clutches her closely, holding her newborn's head in her hands supportively while she does her upmost to keep Emi facing away from Chuck. Then, once her daughter has been shifted further from and protectively angled away from Chuck, Betty's rage begins to spew out.

"I said go away, Chuck! Stay the hell away from me and my baby!"

While Chuck's last question had been asking of Emi's name, in her reply Betty intentionally fails to divulge that detail -along with any other- about her baby. After all, she doesn't want Chuck to know  _anything_  about her daughter, including Emi's name, for as long as it can be avoided.

However, ignoring Betty's request, Chuck only does the opposite, taking a step closer to Betty that she didn't even know to be possible. Then, Chuck just takes Betty's calculated words and turns them back on her as an arrogant smirk erupts on his lips while he reaches out to touch Emi's foot.

"Don't you mean  _our_  baby?"

Betty's big, green doe eyes are suddenly widened like a deer caught in the headlights. Not only do her eyes conceal very little as they reveal far more than she wants him to know, but so does the way that her bottom lip quivers as Chuck continues to speak.

" _Yeah_... So, you can try to hide all you want and you can try and fool as many people as you can, but nothing will ever change the truth... She is our daughter, Betty."

Betty feels nauseated. Better than anyone else, Betty knows that what Chuck is saying is true. Despite the fact that Jughead is Emi's father, there's nothing that will alter Chuck Clayton's genetic tie to her daughter.

Then, as Chuck speaks up once again, Betty goes from feeling sick to her stomach to being filled with a venomous rage from just a few simple words...

"I want to be in her life, Betty... I'll help you. I'm her dad... I have rights, Betty, and I have the right to be involved in my daughter's life."

Betty is quite clearly  _furious.._. Her emerald green eyes are filled with blazing rage as she does a double take, as if ensuring that she's heard him right.  _She has_.

"I can't believe you. You are a repulsive excuse for human being... I can't believe I have to spell it out to you, but you lost absolutely any rights that you did have to be involved in her life from the moment that you snatched  _my_  rights away from me."

Betty's eyes aren't the only ones that are blazing as Chuck looks between Betty and Emi and back, over and over again in a long silence. Then, Betty readjusts her protective hold on her daughter, attempting to push past the man standing in front of her and blocking her way, believing that she has made her point loud and clear and that their heated discussion has ended. However, Chuck has other plans as he speaks up once again when Betty is just steps away from him.

But, this time it's different...

While their voices had been quieter and more intensely concentrated on each other during the conversation so far, this time the way that Chuck addresses Betty as she begins to walk off with Emi is different... This time his voice booms loudly, deliberately, making her stop in her tracks as he bellows out in the corridor.

After all, although his words are a continuation of his hated discussion with Betty, Chuck is now addressing their fellow students more than he is  _her_... It's almost like that night when the game of 'truth or dare' had taken a turn for the worst as Chuck addresses their fellow students in the same manner as he had at Jughead's party when he and Cheryl had gatecrashed at Archie's house.

"You won't even tell me the name of OUR daughter, Betty? How is that fair?" Chuck then begins to look around at their surrounding classmates, as though he's inviting them into the scene that he is deliberately making. "Who else thinks that's not fair?!"

Betty is stunned. She is beyond gobsmacked...

Betty knows that the rumours have been circling regarding her daughters paternity and she knows that her classmates have considered Chuck to be a strong candidate as Emi's father. However, Betty never expected that  _Chuck_  would be the one who would give their daughters paternity up, given the nature of her conception.

Continuing to process her absolute shock, Betty blanches, looking to the smug man in front of her, before looking around to their classmates who are surrounding them, enjoying the drama and whispering to one another as the size of the crowd watching their confrontation continues to grow. More than anything else, Betty wishes that Jughead was there with her in that moment...

"What the hell are you talking about? She's Jughead's daughter..." Betty says. Her voice is strong but her volume is low. It's like she can't maintain both, needing to compromise one for the other.

At hearing her counter-argument that is about as weak as she is in that moment, Chuck lets out a loud scoff. Meanwhile, the crowd surrounding them is continuing to grow with people listening in on the heated conversation which Chuck continues to play to his advantage _._

"Oh right,  _clearly_... She looks just like him."

Chuck laughs at his own point as he looks to the baby in Betty's arms before glancing around to their classmates for ammunition as he makes a joke out of their situation.

"So, I ask again... Who else thinks that it's fair that Betty is keeping me in the dark about our child? She won't let me hold her or see her... She even refuses to tell me my baby's name!"

Then, Chuck exhales a sigh, looking to Emi longingly before turning back to the increasing number of fellow students who are tuning into the public confrontation. The majority of them are just looking for a bit of drama and are interested in the next installment of the 'who's the daddy' saga with the ongoing rumours that have been swirling around and surrounding Betty's daughter over the last week.

"Look, I'm just a dad wanting to be there for my little girl... But, she keeps pushing me away, trying to sell the lie that it's her emo-boyfriend's kid and trying to cover the fact that she's just a serpent  _slut_."

Betty's heart pounds heavily as she looks around the room in disbelief at how he is playing to the victim card to her bad guy. Not only is he turning the tables around on her but he's also turning their classmates -who know anything  _but_  the whole story- against her.

So, glistening tears prick Betty's eyes as she holds onto Emi, clutching her tightly and desperately holding onto the only thing that is keeping her afloat and upright, stopping her from crumbling down.

There's so much she wants to shout and bellow out at the top of her lungs in response to Chuck's slanderous accusations that are only showcasing one, limited side of the story. She wants to blurt out the truth. She wants to reveal the fact that he had raped her...

But, the words don't come.

After all, holding their daughter in her arms, Betty can't bring herself to say those words. She would prefer to shoulder the consequences and ramifications of Chuck's decisions, rather than push them onto Emi's shoulders for when she's older, having everyone know that she was born from such a horrific act. She doesn't want her innocent little girl to have to carry the weight of knowing that she was created from something so horrific and though she knows there'll need to be  _some_  explanation, Betty can't let  _that_  truth out for her to find when she's older.

Besides, even if Betty  _did_  declare the truth, she knows that the awful truth will just sound like a last-ditch effort against him in the battle of 'he-said, she-said' that he is quite clearly winning, gaining not only the battle but also their classmates favour and sympathy. If Betty was to reveal the truth of the matter now, it will only sound like a desperate cry in a sinking ship, carrying just as much weight as it would for the boy who cried wolf.

Chuck has backed her into a corner, and he knows it.

"You want to know her name?  _Fine_. Her name is Emi Jones _.._. Now, stay the hell away from me and my family. We both know the truth of the matter and if you so much as look in her direction, I will ruin you, Chuck."

Although Betty's threat is very much directed at Chuck, although her emerald green eyes are piercing into his deep brown orbs, and although she is talking to him rather than addressing the group of nosey parkers around them, they all listen in intently as Betty spits her threat to him that consumes every ounce of strength in her.

Then, clutching her baby tightly as she presses a calming kiss to the top of Emi's head, Betty moves past Chuck, through the crowd of students as she walks off as quickly as she can, fleeing as fast as she can and doing her best to disguise how wrecked she is feeling.

Walking off, Betty leaves Chuck standing there fuming and just about foaming at the mouth with his outrage over hearing Emi's name and especially her surname, as their peers all  _'oooh'_ at the blonde's threat for long after she's stormed off.

However, even after Betty leaves, the effect of her final, cutting words remain, as does the brewing rage that fills Chuck Clayton over the fact that not only is Jughead Jones the man that is raising his daughter, but the fact that she is carrying his name, too...

After all,  _Jughead_  is taking claim over the little girl who looks like him, the little girl that is half of him and the little girl who he never knew that he wanted to know until he saw her, sleeping in her mother's arms, in the middle of their classroom earlier that week.

Standing there, Chuck bubbles with rage, despising Betty for pushing him out of their daughter's life while he's just as furious with blazing anger over his enmity, his jealousy and his resentment towards the dad of the baby that  _he_  fathered...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that was intense to write. Isn't Chuck disgusting? I do hope you enjoyed the tiny little smidgen of family fluff between Betty's nightmares both before and after that. I'd love to know your thoughts on Chuck and Betty's confrontation and the power play. Who was expecting him to use it against her like that? Anyway, now that Chuck has revealed himself to be Emi's father and says that he wants to be in her life, things are only going to go further and further downhill from here...
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. I would love to know what you all thought of this chapter, too! 
> 
> Next chapter: In the wake of Chuck declaring he's Emi's father, Betty and Jughead lie low. However, just when the drama seems to be easing off, what happens to make things take a turn for the worst?


	36. From Bad To Worse

**CHAPTER THIRTY SIX: From Bad To Worse**

After Chuck's public proclamation as Emi's father in the middle of the hallway, Betty  _bolted_.

She didn't stop to sign out. She didn't stop to tell her teacher that she needed to be excused from her last class of the day. She didn't tell anyone she was leaving or where she was going. She didn't even think to inform her husband of her departure. Instead, Betty just bolted with her daughter, leaving that school and the monster within it as quickly as she could...

Meanwhile, during his last class of the day, Jughead is oblivious to the news that has been gradually circulating throughout the school which hadn't quite made it to Jughead's psychology classroom before his lesson began, leaving him still completely clueless as to the turmoil that is plaguing Betty.

Rather, it's only as he's waiting to meet up with Betty and Emi at the end of the day, standing at their meeting spot out the front of the school when he catches wind of the events of lunchtime...

In fact, it's only as her call goes to voicemail for the umpteenth time when he takes note of a few keywords that catch his interest as a group of students loiter around gossiping about the news that has been sweeping through the school.

"Yeah, Chuck Clayton,  _him_. He said so himself. Apparently she's keeping the baby from him. That's what I heard, anyway."

From where he's eavesdropping nearby, Jughead's face pales and his stomach drops. He doesn't need to hear another word to know what and  _who_  they are talking about before he is set into motion, continuing to try and call Betty as he runs almost the whole way home, back to the Coopers.

As soon as he rushes inside, the mystery of Betty's whereabouts is is quickly resolved as he spots her barely a metre from the front door, with her back to the wall from where she leaning back and supporting herself against it on the floor. Meanwhile, the baby in her arms is awake, but calm, as her chubby little arms reach up and flop down aimlessly.

It's almost like Betty had just collapsed to the ground as soon as she walked in the front door.

It breaks Jughead's heart seeing his wife like this, like a shell of her usual-self, with red, puffy, damp eyes and glistening cheeks as she rocks their daughter rhythmically and on autopilot in order to keep Emi settled. She is distraught, barely holding it together, and he can tell.

"Betts..."

Jughead slides down the wall to meet her on the ground beside her, reaching out to take Emi from Betty before proceeding to cradle their baby in one arm as he wraps the other around her.

"What happened?" he asks in a gentle whisper, holding her close and tight as she sobs into him. Although her tears had gradually subsided after half an hour or so of sitting there once she arrived home, Jughead's presence sets her off again as fresh tears fill her eyes and her chest heaves, wracked with sobs.

Then, after Jughead's initial question, it takes a long, long time for Betty to calm down enough. However, his question certainly does not go forgotten in the hiatus between him asking and her answering when she finally does with a lump in her throat and short, raspy breaths.

"When I went to change my books during lunchtime, he approached me, Jug" Betty begins.

Already, her words are enough to make the guilt pulse through Jughead, knowing that she and Emi were alone because he had left them in order to collect his draft paper and receive feedback from his teacher during lunchtime. None of this might have transpired if he was there with her and if it wasn't for him...

"We started arguing about Emi and people started to listen. Then he told them, Jug. He just came right out with it and told them all that he's her father..."

As Betty is overcome by tears once again, Jughead squeezes her shoulder from where he has his arm wrapped around her before turning his attention to the baby in his arms and pressing a reassuring kiss to Emi's head, atop her small tufts of golden hair.

Eventually, Betty calms down enough to continue speaking, explaining what had happened during their lunchtime...

"When people started listening in, he twisted everything, Jug... Now they're all on  _his_  side. They think that I'm the bad guy and they think I'm just keeping Emi from him for no good reason" Betty explains to her horrified husband. Just when he thinks that Chuck Clayton can't possibly get any worse, he goes on to prove Jughead wrong and disgust him all over again...

Then, as Jughead is struggling to find any words, after a pause and a deep breath, Betty speaks up once again as she looks into Jughead's blue eyes honestly, revealing the fears that consume her to him, her voice trembling fearfully.

"I think he's going to push the paternity thing... He said he wants to be in her life."

Betty owns words are what make her crumble, falling into her husband's body as she is overcome with the tears that signify her distress, filling her with fear over not knowing what will come from her living nightmare and where things for her family will go from here. But, more than anything else, Betty is overcome with terror at the thought of not being able to protect her baby from the monster who is her biological father.

"We won't let him" Jughead states simply, reassuringly, with no doubt evident in his voice. "There's no way in hell that we're letting him anywhere near our little girl."

Despite the certainty in his words, Jughead has his own fears and his own concerns. After all, he knows all-too-well that his daughter has no blood relation to him, as opposed to his villainous classmate who had publicly professed himself as being little Emi's father today and he knows that a paternity test would only prove that.

However, despite his own concerns for his little family, Jughead sets all that aside in order to focus on being the strong, solid rock that his wife needs right now, comforting her and supporting her as he holds her closely and shares his reassuring words with her.

"Remember, Betts, not only is Emi ours to  _us_ , but she is in the eyes of the Law. No matter who she looks like and no matter what Chuck might say, legally, she is my child. Chuck would have to go through hell to dispute that before he can even think about pushing for any involvement with her. And, that's not even factoring in how revealing what he did to you would change things."

Jughead's words bring Betty a little comfort in her distress, momentarily helping her to see the situation a little more realistically; to see the facts, to see  _beyond_  the emotions and stress of the day and to see just how slim his chances are. However, any chance –no matter  _how_  slim- of Chuck being able to worm his way into her daughter's life is way, way too much for Betty to be comfortable with...

After Jughead's utterances soothe Betty for a few minutes, the two of them spend the longest time just sitting there, leaning against the wall beside the front door of the Coopers home. They cling onto each other as Jughead consoles Betty and does his best to reassure her as she struggles to come to terms with not only the confrontation with Chuck from earlier that day, but also the uncertainty of their future as a result of that confrontation. Then, as he is comforting Betty, Jughead simultaneously rocks Emi, who has just fallen to sleep in her fathers arms within the last few minutes.

However, the silence only lasts until Jughead takes a deep breath, turning to his wife beside him before exhaling a sigh. He doesn't want to push her, but when he senses that she has calmed down enough to handle his question, Jughead speaks softly to her in the silence of the big house.

"Betty? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you call? I would have been there for you. I would have dropped everything to be there for you if I'd known..."

Glancing over to him, Betty is overcome by a wave of guilt as she nips at her lip.

Then, a feeble "I'm sorry, Jug" is all she can manage.

Exhaling another sigh, Jughead continues trying to address Betty gently, making his point softly given her vulnerability at present, wit bout compromising his need to make his point to her clear.

"Betty, you need to talk to me... I'm your husband. I'm here for you unconditionally. But, I need to know. If we're going to beat Chuck, we need to be on the same page and we need to be working together. We need to lean on each other, Betts, otherwise you, and I, and our marriage will crumble under the pressure..."

From where she is nestled into his warm chest, watching her daughter who is being held in his other arm, Betty slowly reaches up and rests a gentle hand on his chest as she leans up to press a kiss to Jughead's lips, the very least she can do for all he has done for her today, and always.

"I'm really sorry, Juggie."

#

Sitting at the dinner table that night, Betty looks pale and drawn. It's like the day has taken its toll on her and all she wants is to be safe, in bed, and away from the gut wrenching anxiety plaguing her world. Instead, she's sitting there, leaning on her arm with the sleeve of her sweater pulled right up as she dabs at her moist eyes.

In the interim between her mother calling the family down for dinner and the four of them taking their seats at the dining table, Jughead is taking charge and attempting to lead the small talk with his in-laws, conversationally asking Betty's parents about their day as his wife just focuses on keeping herself together.

However, despite Jughead's best efforts, Betty's parents are quick to take note of the fact that their daughter looks completely drained when they join her at the dining table. At first, she insists that she's just tired from being up with Emi during the night, hoping to stall the inevitable conversation for just that bit longer. However, while Hal might buy it, Alice doesn't, pushing the issue until Jughead's hand clenches around Betty's beneath the table as she inhales a big, deep breath, willing herself to remain composed as she finally reveals the truth that she has kept concealed for the last ten months.

"Look, we were hoping that the identity of Emi's biological father would never have to come out. But, today at school it did come out... I wanted to tell you both before you heard it from someone else. Today, Chuck Clayton revealed that Emi is his baby."

As soon as the words are out, along with the horrific reminder, Betty collapses into Jughead's open arms from the seat beside her. Her body trembles weakly as he holds her tight and close, doing everything in his power that is nowhere near enough to try and comfort and reassure her.

At first, both of Betty's parents freeze in place as they process Betty's revelation over the true paternity of their grandchild. Then, like the flick of a switch, there's an instantaneous change in both Hal and Alice as they look to their daughter, to each other and then back to their youngest daughter; their baby. Both of them fly out of their seats, blazing away from their daughter and the dining table, headed for the front door now that they have just been given the final piece of the horrifically violent puzzle that their daughter had endured, resulting in their youngest grandchild, almost a year ago.

Then, gaining a slither of strength that she didn't know that she had in her, Betty bolts out of her seat and over to her parents, reaching for and grasping for them as limbs go flying in the mad rush to the front door.

"Don't you dare walk out that door and don't you dare play into his hands. Do not let him win. Do not say a word about the rape because it's my word against his. But, if you touch him, if you hurt him, you're only letting him play the victim. You're only adding weight to his argument over Emi being kept from him and that  _he's_  the one being mistreated."

"That's what he's saying?! He's making a deal about you keeping Emi from him? Oh god, Betty..." Alice remarks as she realises the extent of her daughter's perils, clutching at her stomach over the sickening detail. Alice's stomach twists from within her as she fights her sudden wave of nausea from her disgust.

Then, ignoring Betty's protests, both her parents continue to head for the front door until an ear-piercing scream stops them in their tracks.

"STOP!" Betty yelps, tears welling in her eyes. She takes a moment before she continues to speak, her voice hoarse and her chest trembling.

"Just  _stop_! This happened to me... Chuck did this to  _me_. Now, I can't stand up and say what he did to me. I can't tell the world that he raped me. Not only is it too late to prove it, but I don't want it to be revealed. I don't want Emi to have to find out about what happened when she's older. She's beautiful and she's innocent and I don't want her to have to carry the weight of knowing how she was made..."

Not for the first time today, Betty is overcome with tears that fill her eyes. She releases an uncontrolled sob before she reiterates the point of greatest importance to her.

"Look... The only form of justice I want is to make sure he never, ever touches Emi."

The tears streaming down her emerald eyes are the gateway to revealing just how broken she is.

Betty is mildly aware of Jughead coming up behind her, pressing a hand to her back as he tries to support her comfortingly, whilst still giving her the space she needs.

Then, looking to her parents, Betty's gaze intensifies as she narrows her eyes at them, pushing the matter that is of utmost importance to her.

" _Please_. I need to protect Emi... We need to protect Emi... We  _need_  to keep him away from my baby."

Betty's voice breaks at the sheer reminder of Chuck's taunts, his attempts to interact with Emi, the way he'd tried to touch her fingers, her foot and the fact that he wants to be a part of their daughter's life.

With a feeble acknowledgement of Betty's pleas, she is so far from convinced as her parents leave the room. Her mum is wearing a look that is equally filled with rage as it is devastation for Betty, while she can tell her dad's anger is blazing, his face reddening and he is so close to lashing out; releasing his anger over the injustice towards his daughter.

So, although they leave the room for their own instead of the front door, Betty isn't convinced that her words have changed them or persuaded them enough.

Then, as the two of them are left alone in the dining room, Jughead wraps both arms around Betty, holding her into him protectively as she slumps into him; her rock, her safe haven. They stay like that for a while as Betty nestles into his chest, seeking out the much-needed comfort from his familiar body until Betty looks up and looks her husband in the eyes fearfully.

"They're going to kill him..."

Jughead doesn't say a word in response as he just presses a silent kiss to the top of her hair.

After all, he doesn't think that now is the best time to admit that he would right there behind them, supporting them in that endeavour, too...

#

After Chuck's declaration that had sent Betty's world spinning, forcing her to tell her parents the whole truth, she and Jughead spent the week on the down-low, staying clear of school by doing their best to communicate with their teachers via email to keep up with their school work. In fact, Jughead only left the house to go to work or go on the odd walk around the block with the girls.

However, their concerned friends had swamped them with texts and calls and attempted visits but Betty just reiterated over and over again that she wasn't ready to talk to them about the truth that they too had come to learn when Chuck publicly proclaimed that he is the father of Betty's newborn.

One week on, Jughead and Betty try to return to school for the very first time since her confrontation with Chuck.

Although she thought that she was ready to face her demons, Betty can't help the nerves pulsing through her as she looks over her shoulder and holds Emi tighter and closer than normal. Her heart pounds heavily with each step that she takes and she isn't quite sure if she's going to be able to make it through the day at this rate.

Her first lesson was a free period to which she used off-campus, using the additional time that would be usually allocated for study to try and get in control of her nerves and calm her churning stomach before her first lesson of the day. Jughead had been beyond hesitant over leaving her, but she insisted that it would be okay; Chuck's not in her class, or in  _any_  of her classes today, and it was just a single lesson before they rejoin each other with their next lesson together.

However, just as she's on her way across the school to her classroom for history, Betty's plans are foiled with her daughter's rigid movement from within her arms, followed by a little burp and the smell that Betty still hasn't quite managed to desensitize to over the last six weeks. Peering down, Betty grimaces at the damage that has been done. Sometimes Emi's sick can make for a wide-spread mess, but Betty's sweater seems to have caught it all this time.

"Oh, Emi... I think we're going to be late now, bubba" Betty sighs as she tries to hold her daughter, find a tissue and clean up the warm, smelly mess on Emi's chin first and then what is trailing down her shirt in what makes for an awkward juggling game.

Frantically, Betty looks around, looking for a clock or hoping by some miracle that she'll catch sight of Jughead or one of her friends to help her out or even just take the baby in her arms for two seconds in a subconscious cry for help.

However, when Cheryl Blossom speaks up from behind her, the red-head's presence makes Betty jump.

"In a bit of a pickle, cousin dearest? Do you want me to take not-baby-hobo for a moment to let you clean yourself up?" Cheryl offers, holding her hands out to Emi who is settled in Betty's arms.

Looking to the red-head, to her daughter and then to the baby vomit on her shirt, Betty weighs up her options. She knows there's no way that she can turn up to class looking and smelling like she does. Emi had done a decent job and the effort was well beyond salvageable by a tissue and even a wet-wipe was going to take a bit of effort. However, despite their blood relation, Betty isn't entirely sure she's ready to hand over her daughter to her classmate.

"Is that a yes or a no? Chop chop or we'll both be late for class" Cheryl whines with a complacent roll of her eyes. "I know we're not besties, but I know my way around a baby. You can call Polly for a reference if you  _really_  want."

Cheryl's remark reminds Betty of the fact that she knows she has been over to Maine to help Polly with their mutual niece and nephew on a number of occasions. So, still a little reluctant, Betty hands her baby across to the red-head, with a quick kiss to Emi's head.

"Don't worry; I'll be right back in just a minute."

Betty is true to her word, taking just under two minutes to clean herself up, examine herself in the mirror and rush back out to the school corridor. However, the moment she steps out of the bathroom, Betty's stomach drops, plummeting from within her instantly...

After all, walking back out into the corridor, the number of students has diminished and reduced as the majority of people have made their way back to their classroom, with the numbers dwindling down to just a dozen odd people nearby... But, there's no Cheryl.

... And, no Emi.

Betty's stomach drops and her heart begins to pound heavily from within her as salty tears threaten her green eyes. The young mother is  _this_  close to breaking down if it weren't for the motivation of finding her daughter safe-and-sound powering her on.

Frantically, Betty races to her history classroom, trying not to fear the worst and keep her rising adrenaline at bay as best as she can.

However, everything changes when Betty catches up to the red-head, just as she's walking into their classroom...  _Without_  her daughter.

"Oh no, please no..." Betty rasps under her breath, wrapping her arms around herself as she clutches her weak and nauseous stomach, desperately clutching onto hope that it's all a bad dream that she's about to wake up from as she races up to an empty-handed Cheryl Blossom, frantic.

"Where's my baby?! What did you do with her?! Where the hell is my baby, Cheryl?! Give me my baby!"

"Relax... I just gave her to Chuck. He said he was coming to meet you and pick her up for access so I saved you the trouble."

Uncontrolled tears stream down her face. Her breaths are short and shallow. Her heart pounds frantically. Her stomach plummets, almost bringing up her breakfast.

"No, no, no... No! He doesn't HAVE access! He's not allowed anywhere near her! Where did he take her?! Please, just tell me where my baby is!"

As her voice rises rapidly, second by second, Betty comes undone. It takes everything she has to stop herself from crumbling right there in their history classroom as Cheryl only confirms Betty's worst nightmare is coming true.

Losing a child is  _any_  mother's worst nightmare, but how much more so when it is to Betty's own attacker...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just like the name of the chapter, things have just gone from bad to worse now that little Emi is with Chuck... There is so much coming up over the next few chapters so don't forget to check out the video trailer for this story on my tumblr (riverheadcf). It teases some of what is yet to come and especially in the lead up to what goes down in chapter 41...
> 
> Also, enormous thank yous to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. The feedback has been incredibly inspiring for me, thank you. I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter, too, with Betty and Jughead's discussion in the aftermath of her confrontation with Chuck, then having to tell her parents the truth and of course the series of unfortunate events that led to Emi ending up with Chuck.
> 
> Next chapter: Betty and Jughead frantically set out to find Emi. Jughead works out what Chuck's goal is after taking Emi, but that alone is not enough to find them. What is Chuck trying to achieve? And, will they be found?


	37. 72 Hours

**CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN: 72 Hours**

In an awful, awful misunderstanding, ninety seconds was all it took for baby Emi to be transferred from her mother's arms, to her distant cousin Cheryl, and then to her biological father.

As soon as she had stepped out of the bathroom to a near-empty corridor with her cousin and daughter nowhere in sight, dread had filled the young mother who instantly weat out on a rampage looking for the surviving Blossom twin. Then, it had only been when she found the red-head empty-handed when Betty had learnt that Emi had been handed onto the man that the entire school and the majority of the town knows to be her biological father.

 _That_  is the moment when everything goes still and everything comes crashing down for Betty upon learning that her daughter is with Chuck... That her baby is in the arms of her rapist.

She wants to hit Cheryl, she wants to yank her red locks, she wants to pummel her. She just wants to feel  _something_  other than the grief and terror that is flooding every inch of her body.

As tears stream down her face, Betty struggles to breathe. Her chest rises and falls rapidly while her hands clench into fists and her nails plough through the skin of her palms. She tries to move and she tries to spring into action, but she just stays frozen to the spot. She tries to gather her thoughts but she's cursed with a one track mind...

_Emi. Chuck. Emi. Jughead. Emi. Search party. Emi. Help. Emi. Emi. Emi._

Then, all of a sudden, Betty's legs shift into gear, propelling her forward as she moves through the school with everything growing distorted around her. Faces, noises and words all blur together and they all become one as she flies through the corridor, with tunnel-vision set on finding her daughter and the man who has her.

She can feel the panic that pulses through her entire body... The unimaginable fear that consumes her pounds through her body as an unforgettable reminder that her daughter is missing, stealing any focus away from absolutely anything else.

Racing through the hallway, Betty takes no note of the man whose face is filled with concern upon spotting the blonde teenage and seeing her evident distress until a hand reaches out and snatches up her arm.

"Betty! Betts! Slow down! What's wrong?"

With the adrenaline flowing through her, Betty's emerald green eyes look up to him wide and frantic. Almost immediately Jughead answers his own question as he realises the notable absence from his wife's arms, fear filling him as his own eyes grow wide and scared.

"Where's Emi...?"

Meanwhile, as Betty finally processes who it is and why she's been stopped, with one thing talong over her entire body and mind, she clutches onto Jughead's arms, looking him deeply in the eyes as she struggles to speak. Instead, her lips just open and close pointlessly and her mouth runs dry with all moisture streaming from eyes, down her cheeks.

"It's Chuck... H-he's..." Betty trembles, her terrified green eyes looking to his. Standing there on the spot, her body quakes and trembles with fresh tears, overcome by her terror of her worst nightmare coming true and the fact that she has failed Emi in all that she's tried to protect her daughter from.

"He's got her, Jug, he's got her..."

As soon as the words slide from his wife's lips, Jughead stiffens and his stomach plummets. He can almost feel his blood run cold as he's filled with terror.

In that moment, it only clarifies that there is no distinction and no separation, there's no love lost in exchange for DNA and there's no such thing as step-fathers and step-daughters.

As he is filled with the worst, heart-stopping, blood-curdling and crippling terror that he has ever experienced and ever felt in his life, Jughead is quite clearly just a frantic father, desperate to find his endangered daughter...

#

Fueled by their whole-hearted concern for their daughter, Jughead and Betty immediately set into action.

Jughead takes the lead, knowing that Betty is feeling sick from her grief. Everything feels hazy and disorientated as the world spins around her although she continues on, pouring everything she has into focusing on finding her baby.

Within twenty minutes, they had enlisted their friends and were covering far wide areas of the school with Archie, Veronica, Kevin and a guilty Cheryl. However, while their friends had been quick to oblige and assist after seeing the two, distraught, young parents, they were still confused. After all, their friends still have no more answers and no further detail than anyone else does since Chuck had revealed himself to be Emi's father, beyond the brief they'd been given to find Emi, relaying the importance of getting her away from Chuck and the fact that she isn't safe with him.

Betty and Jughead had appointed themselves to search the school, wanting to stay closer to where Chuck had taken her from initially. Archie was searching the outside and surrounding area of the school, Veronica and Kevin were searching public places in town as Kevin tried to coordinate an official search party with his dad, while Cheryl was on phone duties, going through every single contact in town and using scare tactics and yells through the phone to get  _any_  information from anyone who may have seen, heard or come to know anything about Emi's disappearance.

As Betty and Jughead finish another lap and come to another dead-end without any results or sign of either Chuck or Emi after about an hour of searching, Betty curls over herself in the corridor, her hands falling to her thighs as though she's been physically winded while she's overcome with tears. Beside her, Jughead places a hand to her back, trying to bring her to a standing again while comforting her, holding her upright.

"Come on Betts. We'll find her. We can do it. It's going to be okay..."

As much as she wants to keep pushing through her grief and as much as knows she  _needs_  to keep going, Betty comes to a complete stand-still right there in the hallway as desperate sobs wrack her body, with terror and worst-case scenarios consuming her.

"Juggie, she's due for a feed about now. She's like clockwork and she gets upset if I don't feed her almost straight away, and- and, what if she won't stop crying for him and he snaps? Oh, no, please  _no_... What if he's already hurt her?"

Verbalising her fears only works Betty up more as she goes from terrified, to hysterical, her fears multiplying with every second that she is apart from her daughter.

"If... If anything happens to her, oh, Jug, I don't know what I'll do... Oh god, I don't know what I'll do... I just want my baby back!'"

Betty crumbles as her words take hold and her guilt-ridden fear courses through her.

Then, as he holds her and rubs feeble circles into her back, Jughead is struck with realisation as a memory from six weeks back returns to him, bearing significance to their current situation.

"Coach Clayton... Has anyone tried contacting Coach Clayton? What about Chuck's mum? Has anyone tried her?"

Through her tears from where she's rested against her husband's shoulder, Betty shakes her head muttering  _'I don't know!'_  over and over again. However, she squints through her tears, trying to remember what her friends have already told her and updated her on regarding their search thus far.

After Jughead's question, Betty feels far more pressure than he is putting on her, feeling the panic at trying to locate her daughter. However, while he doesn't say anything to soothe her panic, he does subconsciously run his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to calm her while focusing on his own train of thought.

"I don't know, I could be wrong, but I have an idea. I'm just thinking about the day Emi was born. I remember thinking how much I wanted my dad to see her and meet Emi. I wanted to show her off and I wanted to show her to my dad."

Betty whimpers into Jughead's shoulder at her husband's love for their daughter, the reminder only crushing her heart that little bit more.

"What I'm saying is that if he feels even one-percent paternal, my bet is that that's what he's thinking, too... I bet he wants to show Emi to his dad and to his family."

Without a second thought, Betty and Jughead finally make headway with Jughead's epiphany, the two of them rushing through the school hallways once again, just as they have spent the last hour. However, this time, instead of walking straight on past the closed doors, Betty and Jughead make their way into gymnasium, walking through it instead of past it. They do so in order to get to the small office that is tucked away at the other end of the gym where an older man has his head down, guiding pen to meet paper, where his phone is set on silent on the other side of the room.

"Coach Clayton!"

#

As he searches the perimeter of the school which he had been assigned to cover, Archie exhales an enormous sigh of relief when he spots the squirming pink bundle in the arms of his teammate who sitting halfway up the outdoor bleachers, looking out onto the football field. Archie quickly sends a message out to his girlfriend and his best friends before ensuring his phone is on silent as he pockets it.

"Look, sweetie... Daddy spends a lot of time playing out here. Your grandpa does, too. When you're older, you might be able to come and watch if you want... Maybe I could even teach you to play."

Approaching his classmate on the bleachers, Archie is sure to make his presence known as he begins to scale the stairs, not wanting to startle the other man at fear of how he may react.

"Hey..." Archie begins calmly.

"Betty sent you, didn't she?"

Archie pauses for a moment, feeling the weight of Chuck's words, attempting to imagine the potential impact that any answers will have over the minutes that follow. For the entire time during the silence Archie's eyes are glued on his best friend's baby who is in his fellow teammate's arms.

Then, taking a few, slow steps closer, Archie takes a seat at the end of the row of seats where Chuck is seated and holding Emi.

"She's worried, man. You took her baby..."

The red-head is quick to realise that his comment is neither well-constructed nor well-received, a fact that he learns the hard way when it elicits a snarl and eyebrow-furrowing frown from the man seated further along from him.

"She's  _my_  baby, too. I have just as much right to her and Betty was denying me that. I had to do this. I had to do it to be with my little girl."

Listening to Chuck's words, Archie's face sets to an intense frown.

Something isn't right... He can feel it. He  _knows_  it.

After all, while he and his friends have had their suspicions over Chuck Clayton being Emi's biological father which has recently been confirmed by Chuck himself, Archie doesn't know anything more than that. More so, he can't understand why his best friend -the kindest person he knows- would spend her pregnancy leading everyone to believe that Jughead was the father of her child and continuing to exclude Chuck from her daughter's life after she was born.

Something isn't right. Something just doesn't add up...

Consequently, Archie doesn't know quite what to say in response to Chuck, so he just shifts the focus of the conversation a little, distracting the other man as he slowly and gradually edges further along the seat and closer towards him.

"She's beautiful, Chuck..."

Archie's words bring a smile across the other man's lips as he gazes down to the baby in his arms, gently stroking her cheek. Again, Archie slowly edges a little closer along the bench with both boys looking to the little six-week-old baby whose big brown eyes are wandering around as her little face is filled with different expressions, like she's trying them all out.

"She's perfect. She looks just like my little sister; she's so much like Chloe. I want her to meet Emi... I want my family to see my little girl. That's the way it should be. After all, she's a  _Clayton_ , not a Jones."

With his eyebrows creased with concern, Archie doesn't know quite what to say to that given his growing unease as well as the fact that the alternative father to that little girl is his best friend. So, as he formulates a reply, Archie removes any fathers from the equation –both biological and rightful- and instead he focuses on the baby in Chuck's arms.

"You need to give her back, Chuck. She needs to be with Betty."

Archie's words are gentle as he implores the man beside him to give the baby in his arms over without a fight.

"No. No... No...  _No_ " Chuck repeats over and over as he shakes his head at the man in front of him, closing his eyes a little as if refusing to even listen to and acknowledge the red-head's words.

"No... If I let go of her, if I give my daughter back, I'll lose her. This is my chance. It's my only chance. I need to prove I'm good... I need to prove I'm a good dad."

Long after he's finished speaking, Chuck continues to shake his head. It's almost as though all the reasons that he can't let go of Emi and all the reasons he can't hand her over are echoing through his mind for a long, long time after he's spoken the words, only convincing himself further that he can't do it.

"This  _isn't_  the way to do that, Chuck..." Archie explains with a sigh.

As Archie slides a little further along the metal seat of the bleachers, he watches the man beside him as he holds his daughter a little closer to his chest, raising her up towards himself from within his arms. Chuck's focus is firmly fixed on the baby, smoothing down her little tufts of golden curls with his thumb before pressing a kiss to the top of Emi's head.

Then, Chuck's gaze turns to Archie, looking petrified, his brown eyes open wide and scared.

"I did something bad, Archie... I did something really bad and I don't know how I can make it better."

Simply put, he  _can't_.

He cannot go back in time, he cannot change his decisions and he cannot change what he had done to Betty one dark, awful night a few days short of a year ago... He cannot make it better.

He can't change things for himself, he can't change things for Betty...

Looking to Archie with horror, Chuck realises that. He knows that he can't. As much as he might want to and as much as he grown to regret his own actions from the wake-up call in the form of the baby in his arms, it's too late.

He was gripping at the straws in the fight that he knew that he was losing and in his desperation, Chuck had enlisted the only ways he knows in managing issues; bullying, controlling and intimidation. They are the only ways he knows how to try, but it had consequently only dug himself deeper and further into the same, irreparable hole with no way out other than acceptance.

"I want to be better. I want to make her proud of me."

"I know..." Archie begins, glancing to Emi as her face begins to scrunch up unhappily, her body squirming from within Chuck's arms. Her own little arms reachout to nothing as her little legs grow tense. Then comes the little cries of a hungry baby, quickly growing longer and louder with every passing second.

"Here, let me try. I've settled her down before" Archie suggests, holding his arms out and open as he volunteers to take the unsettled baby from her biological father, using it as an attempt to get little Emi back, safe and sound, as gently as he can.

However, his suggestion and open arms that he holds out to take his best friend's baby is met with refusal in the form of a head-shake as Chuck just nestles her closer into his arms, almost as if feebly hiding her from Archie's view.

"If you love her, Chuck, you need to give her back. You want her to be safe and healthy, don't you? Well, she needs Betty. She needs her mum, Chuck... She's too little to be away from Betty for long. If you care for her and if you want to protect her, that's what Emi needs."

As Emi's cries intensify, Chuck brings the baby up closer in his arms. Like a rubber band, it gets harder and harder to draw back and fight the resistance as he desperately clings on, pulling and tugging with everything he has, fighting the force, before the release comes and he finally lets her go.

"I'm sorry, for everything."

Chuck's whispered words are directed to the baby in his arms who he is looking down to just before he hands his daughter over to the man sitting beside him. Then, his head falls into his vacant hands with his arms resting on his lap.

Meanwhile, as he holds Emi in his arms, the mounting tension in Archie's chest gradually reduces from Chuck's release. However, he continues rocking the baby, trying to settle her and soothe her tears as he slowly slides across the bench away from Chuck at the same time. While avoiding any sudden movements, Archie gradually edges further and further away until he reaches the end of the bench, proceeding to slowly make his way down the steps, softly hushing the distressed baby, too.

Out of the corner of his eye during the intense encounter, Archie had noticed the crowd gathering on the ground a couple of hundred metres away. The group is gathered behind Chuck's back and away from his view to ensure that they weren't seen and they waited on stand-by, watching closely as Archie tried to handle the kidnapping and get his best friend's baby back safely. So, although he had noted the figures from afar, he didn't stop or glance in their direction very often or for long at all. After all, while he had been talking to Chuck, he didn't want to draw any attention to the crowd that had been gathering nearby and risk spooking him.

Consequently, Archie hadn't noted who is in the growing group, consisting of his best friend, Riverdale High School's principal, his football coach a bunch of his classmates and one terrified young mother who is bawling her eyes out fearfully. Betty had to be restrained and held back by her husband, keeping her against her every maternal instinct telling her to blaze right over there and snatch her baby away from her biological father in a way that would only make things worse, escalating the situation.

However, the second that Archie reaches the end of the bleachers, finally a safe distance away from Chuck, Jughead lets go of his grip on Betty and they both immediately rush over to their best friend and more so, their baby in his arms.

With tears streaming down her face, Betty runs over to Archie as fast as she can with her arms out and open wide to take her daughter from him as the red-head carefully hands the newborn baby to her mother. Instantly, the relief floods through every part of Betty's body. She feels like she can suddenly breathe again and she feels like the crushing weight on her chest since she realised that her daughter had been taken is suddenly lifted and released.

Although her big, brown eyes are moist with tears as Emi cries and squirms around and her face scrunches up as she grows more and more upset, Betty has never felt more grateful to hold her baby in her arms. Then, Betty quickly examines her daughter to ensure she hasn't been hurt and not a single hair on her head is out of place before she peppers relieved kisses all over Emi.

"Oh my baby... My baby... My baby, my baby girl..."

Right by Betty's side, Jughead's hands are reaching out in every direction to try and touch his daughter, to let her take his finger and to rub Betty's back with his arm slung around her. He too can feel the waves of relief flowing through him at having his family back together and his little girl safe in her mother's arms.

Meanwhile, obliviously to Betty and Jughead, there is movement in the crowd behind them. As couple of people watch on and whisper, a few people pat Archie on the back, while Coach Clayton, Principal Weatherbee and Sheriff Keller who has just arrived rush in a different direction, moving over to Chuck who hasn't moved from where he's sitting there and holding his head in his hands.

Nothing else and no one else matters to Betty and Jughead as she holds her daughter as close and tight as she can, her chest continuing to heave rigidly with the release of tears and fears that have built up over the previous hours. Meanwhile, holding his wife as she rocks their daughter, the flood of relief surges through every inch of Jughead as everything in his world comes into orbit once again.

Finally, everything is right in their little world again...

#

After the awful day that was, Jughead, Betty and the little girl that has only left her mothers arms to be held in her fathers, had to make a trip past the hospital for Emi to be examined after her kidnapping, followed by making a formal statement to Sheriff Keller who met them at the hospital.

By now, it's nearing bedtime a little later that evening and Betty has just sent her husband around to check every lock and window in her family's home for the sixth time tonight.

When he returns to their bedroom, slowly opening the door to the dimly-lit room, Jughead instantly notes the silhouette that hasn't moved from in front of the baby's bassinet in the corner of the room, the same figure having barely moved a muscle since settling her daughter in her bed for the night.

Slowly, Jughead creeps across the room and touches Betty's arm gently so as not to spook her from where she is standing in front of Emi's bassinet, looking down on her and watching her like a fixed watchman.

As he gets closer to his wife, Jughead hears her soft sniffles and catches a glimpse of the damp tears that stream down her moist cheeks from her reddened eyes. Then, ever so gently, he wraps his arms around Betty's waist reassuringly, being the strong support and comfort that she needs in that moment as he holds her from behind before pressing a few kisses to her shoulder while both of them gaze down to the baby who is sleeping peacefully, safe and sound.

Betty instantly relaxes from his touch, melting back into his arms as her head rests on his shoulder, finding more comfort in him than she has anything else she's tried to do to alleviate her fear and dread after the day she's had and the scare of losing her daughter to her biological father.

Meanwhile, holding her safe and tight, Jughead doesn't ask Betty if she's okay... He knows that she's not. He knows that she is blaming herself, pondering over the awful 'what ifs' and relieving the same horrific terror from the, gut-wrenching fright that he is still recovering from as well. Instead, he just presses a kiss to the back of her head as his lips linger on her golden, vanilla-scented hair and he whispers reassurances in Betty's ear.

"She's okay. Everything is okay. Emi's safe. We're all together again. Everything's going to be okay, Betts... We won't let it be anything other than okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked that one! I didn't want to draw it out over several chapters so I hope you liked the way things unfolded. Also, I want to make it clear that I wanted to convey a slither of humanity in Chuck, not sympathy for him. But, thankfully Emi is okay and back with her parents. I'd love to know what you all thought of the chapter.
> 
> Thank you to preciousilence, MotherMaple and tinnie who left feedback on the last chapter. I really appreciate the support.
> 
> Next chapter: 48 hours! Betty finally tells her friends the whole story about Chuck. Then, Chuck delivers Betty and Jughead will a game-changing blow.


	38. 48 Hours

**CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT: 48 Hours**

The morning after taking Emi at school, Chuck had been released on bail with a court hearing date.

However, with a decent lawyer, it wasn't expected that Chuck would get more than a slap on the wrist given that he was a minor, he hadn't left the school grounds, Betty had given Emi to Cheryl who then  _willingly_  handed Emi over to  _him_  and he was claiming to be her biological father. Sherriff Keller said that despite his claims, this was irrelevant as he is not the father listed on Emi's birth certificate, and while he can swear otherwise until he is black-and-blue in the face, he is therefore not legally recognised as her father.

The fact that he seemed to be getting off scot-free once again makes Jughead's blood boil and fills Betty with fear over the dangerous man and his calculated games that have been forced into her world, with her newborn daughter front-and-center on the battle line throughout the drama.

Honestly, Chuck terrifies Betty. It's not only from her attack and it's not only as a result of her past experiences with him, but it's also the way he continues to manipulate situations and circumstances against her that terrifies Betty, all the while knowing that it involves the highest of stakes in the form of their daughter...

#

In the twenty-fours since little Emi was taken from and then returned to her parents, she hasn't left either Jughead or Betty's side or sight.

Just twenty-four hours after the event, when Betty and Jughead -who is holding little Emi- finally stroll into  _Pops_ , they're quick to realise that they are the last to arrive out of their friends, proceeding to join them at their booth across the room.

While Betty had been renowned for her punctuality in the past, she has quickly learnt that her daughter doesn't work on the same clock as she does. Today was a classic 'exhibit A' example with Emi filling her nappy just seconds before she and Jughead were about to walk out the door to join their friends at the diner.

"Sorry we're late" Betty apologies sliding into the booth after Jughead who fails to address their lateness with any of the care that Betty had for the same matter.

Both Betty and Jughead had stayed home from school after yesterdays events when Chuck had taken Emi. It was too fresh for Betty to go back to those hallways and revisit the panic that had struck her entire being upon losing her daughter. Besides, she was nowhere near prepared for the potential of coming face-to-face with Chuck again.

Though Betty had been adamant against going to school, Jughead probably could have gone on his own for the day. But, in addition to Emi's usual wake ups for her feeds during the night, Jughead knows that Betty had been getting up to check on Emi every ten to fifteen minutes throughout the night last night, no doubt as a result of yesterdays events. So, he too stayed home from school to not only ensure that Betty was coping okay one day on from the ordeal, but also with the hope that Betty would catch up on some much needed rest during the day, with him reassuring her that he wouldn't so much as move from beside her bassinet if it meant that Betty would nap, which she managed to do until Emi woke for her lunch-time feed.

While they hadn't, their friends had returned to school today. So, Betty had arranged for them to meet up at their local hangout after school had finished for the day. Because, after months of half-truths, Betty told them that she would finally explain the whole story to them, despite the fact that there is very little of the truth remaining to be told.

But, while there was little information remaining to be relayed, what did remain to be said was one of the most imperative things and one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle. This was especially so given that just yesterday they had all been in the dark as to the urgency behind Chuck taking Betty's daughter who he had confessed that he had fathered.

So, when she and Jughead -along with little Emi who is settled in her father's arms- arrive at their friends table, Betty can feel her heart begin to race and pound from within her, knowing that soon she's going need to relay the story that she has done her best to erase from her memory, once again.

Thankfully, a little time is bought after they exchange greetings and pleasantries with their best friends, warming up to the looming conversation. Then, after spotting Pop Tate approaching their table, Jughead leans towards Betty and murmurs into his wife's ear.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink first?"

Betty shakes her head as her lip quivers when she speaks. "No. No, I couldn't."

Jughead simply nods, glancing over to her with gentle eyes as he presses a soft kiss to her cheek with his arms occupied by their daughter. He, on the other hand couldn't fathom the prospect of having to hear about what happened to his wife once again  _without_  an enormous plate of fries.

Then, finally, after their half-hearted small talk draws to a slow end and once their orders have been placed in front of them, Betty takes a deep breath. Before she has a chance to speak up, she feels Jughead's leg knock hers reassuringly from under the table seeing as both his hands are occupied with supporting and holding Emi as he rocks her against his shoulder.

"Okay... To start with, I want to say that I'm sorry that it has taken a lot of time to get to this point, but I think it's time that you all hear the truth and the full story about my connection to Chuck" Betty begins, taking a deep, trembling breath as she rubs her palms out open on her thighs.

"So, I know there has been a lot of speculation, even before he even confessed to anything. But, first things first, the truth is that,  _yes_ , Emi is Chuck's baby."

This truth had been a widely agreed on rumour even before Chuck himself addressed it. Yet, Betty confirming this fact alone elicits little gasps from her friends at hearing what they'd already heard, just simply hearing it from Betty herself as she and Jughead's friends look between each member of the little family of three from across the table.

Then, after a few moments, Veronica is the first to say or do anything as she puts a non-threatening hand out on the middle of the table before she speaks up gently.

"Oh, B... We don't think any less of  _you_  if Jughead's not her real dad."

Veronica's words are true. After all, she speaks on behalf of herself, Archie and Kevin. None of them think any less of their best friend if her husband is not her daughter's biological father. However, one thing that they do all agree on is that it is surprising and extremely uncharacteristic of Betty.

Consequently, while Veronica's words had been bundled together with the best intentions, Betty quickly fires back at her friend's choice of words.

"Jughead  _is_  her real dad. They're just not biologically related."

In the wake of Veronica's well-meaning words and his wife's firm response, a deep frown settles across Jughead's face. He  _hates_  it. After all, while it's only understandable that it is people's natural assumption, Jughead  _hates_  that Betty's reputation only suffers further upon people knowing that he isn't Emi's biological father and they come to realise that she was pregnant with another man's baby for their entire relationship. As if she hasn't suffered enough already...

"Why all the secrecy? Why didn't you just tell us that all along, Betty?" Kevin asks gently, sensing the necessary sensitivity of the moment before Veronica expands on his question. "We're your friends, B. We're on your side..."

With a deep breath, Betty's eyes are turned to her daughter. Before she responds to her friends, the young mother reaches a hand out to gently stroke her baby's head from where she's being rocked in Jughead's arms.

"Because it's not quite as simple as that. I was trying to protect Emi. I needed to hide the truth because I needed to protect my little girl..."

Sensing that Betty hasn't finished speaking, she and Jughead's three friends remain sitting there silently as they look to the blonde intently, willing her to continue speaking without their saying a single word.

Meanwhile, as her eyes glaze over with tears that haven't fallen while she watches her baby, Betty takes a deep and heavy breath before her eyes flicker closed.

"Unfortunately it was inevitable, but I didn't tell you guys because I didn't want  _anyone_  to know that Emi is Chuck's baby; especially not  _him_  and certainly not Emi... Because, the thing is, it's not as straight forward as that."

From the other side of the booth where Archie and Veronica are sitting side-by-side and Kevin is leaning across from the booth behind them, all three of Betty's friends faces crease and frown as they're listening to and cling onto Betty's every word. Meanwhile, Jughead too is preparing himself to hear what comes next as he presses a kiss to the top of Emi's head, reassuring the oblivious baby of his love for her, despite the words that are about to be spoken.

"Betty... What are you saying?" Archie eventually asks, speaking up fearfully. He can feel his heart beginning to pound within his chest and he's  _sure_  that the temperature in the room is beginning to rise as his eyebrows furrow with serious concern while he watches his childhood best friend intently.

"I didn't just sleep with Chuck... It wasn't consensual."

As the painful words are forced through her lips, Betty's eyes become glassier, her chest grows tight and breathing proves to become a difficult task as she pours all her effort into saying the words that she learns do not get any easier to say, no matter how many times they are said. Instead, they just carry the painful reminder of one horrific night of almost one year ago.

Sensing her mounting distress and tension over the reminder of her living nightmare, Jughead adjusts Emi to hold her in one arm, as he brings the other around Betty holding her tight and close to him. He knows he has to be strong enough for her but his own stomach churns sickeningly at having to hear and be reminded of what his wife endured and what his classmate had done to her, damaging her so deeply.

"He- He-" Archie begins, attempting to speak twice, before his words run dry and he fails to say the single, horrific word that he can't so much  _utter_ , let alone  _believe_  had happened to his best friend. The red-head's eyes dart around frantically as if desperately hoping that he has got some detail wrong along the way and that Betty  _doesn't_  mean what he believes; what he can't see any other option in.

While Betty and Jughead's closest friends have had enough time to gather their own assumptions and draw their own conclusions over the last year regarding the mystery of Betty's newborn daughter's paternity, the truth had always just been a passing, horrific thought; something they all refused to believe.

So, although Archie never manages to utter the two words that he couldn't bring himself to say, everyone sitting at that booth knows exactly what those two words  _are_...

Meanwhile, as they process their friend's devastating confession, Kevin's face drops just as his stomach does, while Veronica releases a horrified gasp as her hand covers her mouth, but fails to conceal her watering eyes as they tear up at Betty's admission. Then, all of a sudden, the raven-haired teenager springs up from Archie's side and bounds out of her booth in order to wrap her arms around her best friend tightly, in the biggest hug that seems to last a lifetime.

"Oh, B... I am  _so_  sorry. I wish I knew... I wish there was something I could do. I wish there was something I could have done... I am so,  _so_  sorry."

Kevin is the next to speak, finally being freed of his shell-shocked state in order to look up and over to the blonde as he raises his two, simple questions in a soft and gentle tone.

"What? When?!"

Swiping an unfallen tear from the corner of her eyes, Betty sniffles and takes a deep breath, willing herself to continue speaking.

"At the end of last summer... It was the night of the dance. It was dark and late and I was upset so I went out for a walk on my own that night. Let's just say that he approached me while I was vulnerable and then-, and then it happened."

For a long, long time each person at that booth stays solemn and silent. There are no words that even come close to describing how unjust, how awful and how evil Chuck's vile actions had been and there are no words that even come close to expressing how sorry they are that Betty had to endure that.

Then, in the silence, from where he sits on the other side of the booth, Archie's stomach plummets in realisation...

Betty went out for a walk on the night of the dance... The night that he rejected her, telling her how perfect she was before breaking her heart and crushing her dreams that had built up over so many years... She was upset because  _he_ upset her... She was attacked and she had been raped after she went for a walk in the dark, on her own and upset, because of  _him_...

"Oh Betty... Oh no. Oh hell... I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry..." Archie brown eyes are wide with panic and realisation as he runs his hands through his red hair, his anxiety and distress evident as he blames himself for his best friend's violent attack.

Across the table, Betty sniffles as she reaches a hand out to touch his own one reassuringly. However, everyone else at that booth has no idea as to the reason behind Archie's panic that she is comforting him from, knowingly.

"It's not your fault, Arch.  _I_  don't blame you, so don't blame yourself... There is only one person whose fault it is."

However Betty's reassurances aren't enough as Archie is up and out of the booth in a flash of red, instantly beginning to hurry towards the exit of  _Pops_.

"Archie! Archie! STOP!" Betty bellows out across the diner.

Despite the fact that tears are still slowly streaming down her face, Betty's raised voice and yelled words are enough to stop her friend in his tracks as he freezes to the spot. Then, he slowly starts to turn around and look back to face her and the rest of the group as she beckons him back over again seriously.

"Do  _not_  make this any worse than it already is, Archie. While Chuck might have told the world that he's Emi's father, I want to leave it at that. I do  _not_  want my beautiful little girl to have to find out how she was made... I don't want her to ever have to know that she was a product of something so horrible."

As Archie's head slumps in irritation, suppressing his need to fight for justice in Betty's defense, it is his girlfriend who is the next to speak up.

"Oh, Emi..." Veronica's voice softens, looking to the beautiful, perfectly innocent baby in Jughead's arms.

After all, while Betty's admission had been about Betty before that point, suddenly the bigger picture becomes clearer from the reminder that it isn't just about what happened to  _Betty_ , but it is also about what resulted in  _Emi_...

#

After their friends left the diner, Jughead and Betty lingered and stayed back there for quite a while afterwards, trying to unwind in each others company after having to tell their friends the truth behind Betty's awful secret. As a result, the two had ended up staying for dinner there, accompanied by their daughter.

Then, upon noting that the newlyweds were having a moment and an impromptu little date night of sorts, Pop Tate had come over and offered to take Emi off their hands for a few minutes to give them some time alone. Initially Betty's answer had been a quick no, still reliving the nightmare of her daughter disappearing within seconds just a day earlier. However, Jughead whispered reassurances to the young mother, reminding her not to let their fear of Chuck control their life and make them live in fear before he took Betty's hand to calm her and to reassure her. Consequently, Betty had changed her answer and they took the owner of the establishment up on his initial offer, knowing Pop Tate is like family to both Betty and Jughead.

Although he was the one who had persuaded her to let Emi be babysat within their sight, upon handing their daughter over for a few minutes of alone time, Jughead can't keep himself from reminding the older man to make he doesn't hand her over to anyone else, no matter what they say. Then as Pop Tate carries their daughter over to the front counter, Jughead whispers to Betty that they'll keep an eye on her and if either of them has to move away for even a second the other will go back and get her.

With a very close eye being kept on their daughter within Pop Tate's arms as he walks around the diner trying to make her smile, the two newlyweds enjoy a few minutes of privacy as Betty slowly relaxes, resting against Jughead's shoulder as he pulls his arms around her.

"I love you, Jughead. I love you so, so much" Betty murmurs into the crook of her husband's neck, where her head is nestled into him and his comfort.

"Love you, too, wifey." Jughead can feel her smile against the sensitive skin of his neck, only furthering his own.

Then, after pressing a quick kiss to the top of Betty's golden locks, Jughead's glance quickly returns to Emi, watching across the room as she smiles animatedly at the diner owner. It melts Jughead's heart seeing his daughter's joy, a feeling at the forefront of his mind as he whispers into Betty's ear once again.

" _And_  I love our bubba."

With the smile only increasing on Betty's lips, she slowly reaches up to cup Jughead's face in her hands as she leans up to press a soft, lingering kiss to his lips.

"We are so lucky to have you, Juggie..."

As she returns to resting against his chest wrapped in his secure arms, the couple remains like this, absorbing comfort from each other's company for a good fifteen minutes or so, until Pop Tate brings Emi back to their table, returning her to her parents as he hands the newborn over to her mother.

Emi has barely returned to Betty's hands when the bell above the door of  _Pop's_  rings once again. It's hardly a noteworthy noise, ringing through the diner every few minutes and after a while you learn to block it out. Consequently, neither Jughead nor Betty bother to look up as they fawn over their daughter, rubbing her cheeks and tickling her belly as Emi continues to smile, clearly in a good mood right now.

In fact, it's only as a tall figure looms over their booth when Jughead looks up, instantly positioning himself protectively on an angle in front of his wife and daughter, while Betty exhales a little gasp of terror from the presence of the same man. Immediately, Betty clutches her daughter closer and tighter, resting Emi on her chest to face her away from Chuck as she maintains a gentle but firm grip on her baby.

"Get away from us, Chuck. Leave, right now" Jughead warns sternly, the anger and outrage thick in his voice and evident on his intense scowl when all he wants to do is spring up and give Chuck Clayton the beating he deserves for all he has done to his family.

Holding a hand out low, Chuck eyes widen a little as he speaks as quickly as he can and before Jughead has a chance to spring into action.

"Look, I won't be long. I won't come close. Just let me say what I need to say..."

Just a few, mere milliseconds pass by with neither Jughead nor Betty saying or doing anything to stop him before Chuck snaps up the brief window of opportunity up and quickly begins to speak once again, although his eyes are fixed on the baby in Betty's arms.

"I regret everything that has happened.  _Everything_... I know I can't take any of it back, but I do regret it. I also regret the way I've made things worse. I really am sorry for that. I took her from Cheryl when I saw my only chance to spend time with her. But, I know that was wrong."

Neither Jughead or Betty say a single word in response to Chuck's mesh of words that he believes strings together an apology. It is nowhere near a semblance of 'enough' for his actions.

Instead, Betty focuses on clutching her daughter in her arms, rocking her gently as her own heart pounds while Jughead speaks up ferociously, on the defensive for his family.

"I said  _leave_. Get the hell away from my family or I'm calling Sheriff Keller or my father. Where would you prefer to end up? In a prison cell or a shallow grave?"

Rolling his eyes at Jughead's threats, Chuck is clearly the epitome of unapologetic as he continues speaking to get his point and objective across before Jughead makes good of his threat.

"Look, like I said, I know that taking her was wrong. But, I learnt my lesson and now I'm going to go through the proper channels..."

Betty's emerald green eyes widen with horror and her hold tightens on the baby in her arms, anticipating Chuck's words that are about to follow...

"I'm filing a paternity suit, then I'm going for joint custody of Emi. I'll see you both in court."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh guys, I hope that chapter is coherent enough. I proofed most of it before I went to work today as well as when I got home. But seeing as I feel like I'm just about dying, I feel like nothing is making sense and I'm just reading things over and over again. My apologies, but note to self; don't try and get a chapter up when you're sick.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter! I hope you all liked this chapter. I know that everyone has wanted their friends to find out for so long, so I hope you like that the truth is finally out there. And then there's Chuck... Be sure to let me know what you thought!
> 
> Next chapter: 24 hours! Struggling with his guilt and blame, Archie makes an unforgivable mistake. Then, what does Jughead say to shock Betty?


	39. 24 Hours

**CHAPTER THIRTY NINE: 24 Hours**

Jughead had decided to return to school the following day, while Betty would stay home with Emi, with her husband and friends passing on any necessary information she would need to stay up to date with her classes from home.

Betty knows that she had promised her teachers that she'd give school her all while juggling parenthood, marriage and all of the other issues shrouding her life. However, more often than not, school has been the thing that has been falling off of Betty's overflowing plate and suffering recently.

While Jughead had decided to go to school today, he had forgotten that his first lesson of the day was a free study period, not requiring him to be on campus although the time was supposed to be used for studying. So, seeing as he was already up and about, all dressed and ready as early as he would ordinarily need to, Jughead stays up and uses the time he had gained in his mixup over his classes to settle his daughter who Betty has just fed, after telling her to go back to bed and rest a little while longer.

As he walks in circles around his new bedroom that he shares with his wife and daughter, Emi nestles into Jughead's neck, squirming around a little as he holds her closely against his chest while gently rubbing her little back. Seeing as he has just burped the baby, he is now hoping to settle her down once again for Betty before he has to leave.

Meanwhile, although she's supposed to be resting and trying to get a little more precious sleep, Betty has wound up scrolling through her phone as she's curled up in bed from where she's shuffled across to Jughead's side of their bed.

"Is it just me or is she getting harder and harder to settle? Or am I just losing my touch?" Jughead asks glancing down to the wide-eyed baby in his arms.

His question is inspired by all his efforts in trying to settle his daughter which have apparently been for nothing as she gazes around the room, occasionally attempting to hold her own head up weakly from where she's resting against Jughead's chest. Normally he'd expect that she would be well on her way to sleep by this point but right now, Emi couldn't be further from it.

"I think you're right about that. I've noticed it, too. She's getting more alert and as a result she doesn't seem to want to settle when there's so much to check out around her."

"No surprises there, really... She's just a little nosey-parker like her mum. Should have guessed we'd have a little Nancy Drew 2.0 on our hands" Jughead chuckles, looking between his wife and his daughter, before he lifts Emi up in his arms a little, bringing her closer to him to press an affectionate kiss to her plump cheek.

Jughead's heart feels so warm and full with love for both his girls and he doesn't know how he's going to tear himself away from his little family in order to get to school in just over an hour. While some days he doesn't mind it when Betty stays home with Emi and sometimes he enjoys the relative solitude for a little while, Jughead is not feeling that way inclined today, struggling with the idea of leaving his girls.

However, Jughead is distracted from his thoughts upon catching sight of the red-head through the window across from theirs. Adjusting Emi to hold her in one arm for just a moment, Jughead raises a hand to wave at his best friend before filling his wife in on the interaction.

"Looks like Archie's still home. He's bound to be running late."

"Well, he's got a reputation to uphold, you know..." Betty murmurs sleepily, cradling her phone in one hand as she lies on her side, resting. Her remark makes Jughead chuckle with a warm smile.

However, after waving across to the boy-next-door, neither Jughead nor Betty have any idea of what is brewing and what is bubbling away within the red-head...

After all, from his own house and his own bedroom, Archie hasn't managed to catch a wink of sleep all night, not since hearing the confession that Betty had made yesterday.

... How  _could_  he sleep?

Every time he closes his eyes, Archie's mind flashes back to that awful night when he had broken his best friend's heart, telling her he didn't love her in the way that she thought she loved him, picturing her turning around and walking away from him with tears in her emerald eyes. Then, just yesterday Archie had heard the way that the story had continued on after that point, learning that Betty  _hadn't_  stayed in the safety of her home and discovering that she had gone out for a walk on her own. Then, already feeling deeply distressed, Betty had been taken advantage of and attacked, raped horrifically by her known perpetrator.

Now, every time he closes his eyes, Archie can't erase the picture of the Betty from that night who had walked away from him in tears, spending the rest of the night enduring something so horrific; crying out when no one else could hear her, with no one to save her...

Archie's stomach lurches. It is so unfair. It is so unjust. Not only what had happened to Betty and not just her attack, but also everything else that she has endured since then... The fact that she had fallen pregnant and the fact that she had been strong enough to have her rapists baby, only to be subjected to the rumours and whispers that came with Betty becoming a teen mother, degrading her reputation in a situation that was anything  _but_  Betty's fault.

It is so unfair. It is so unjust. All of it is just so,  _awfully_  horrific...

Archie can feel the anger pulse through him, along with his disgust over the fact that he had maintained somewhat of a friendship with Chuck now that he knows what he had done. He can feel his own guilt, considering all the things that he could have done if only he had of known, imagining all the things that could have done to save Betty from her ordeal. He can  _feel_  his fury bubbling within him at what Betty has been through and the way she has only suffered more and more since...

There's no way that Archie can allow it to continue going on that way, not for Betty and her little family... After all, so much of what happened is  **his**  fault.

 _It's on him_.

#

Jughead had arrived at school on time for the second lesson of the day which was his first class, followed by maths. Then, by the time that he reached the first break of the day, he noticed the incoming message on his phone.

 **Betty:** Hey babe. We're going to come and join you at school today. Mum and dad working and the two of us being home alone isn't doing wonders for my nerves... Should be there by the end of the break. I'll meet you at class xx

A little smile ripples on Jughead's lips as he replies to her message. Honestly, knowing that she'd been sitting at home letting her fears get to her, leaves Jughead feeling glad that she's going to join him at school.

 **Jughead:** No worries, love you xx

It's actually a good day for Betty to decide to come to school a little later on. After all, two of their three lessons this morning had been separate from each other, while they share their two double lessons for remainder of the day together.

Betty and Emi arrive at class just after Jughead who is standing out the front of their classroom waiting. As they come into sight, Jughead quickly presses a kiss to Betty's cheeks before snatching up Emi from her.

During their English lesson, Betty has to spend most of the class out in the corridor with her upset baby who is a lethal combination of tired and hungry seeing as little Emi is too upset and fighting off her feeds, getting her nowhere. Betty had been accompanied by Veronica who followed her out when she saw her best friend leaving the classroom. After all, not only Veronica but  _all_  of their friends had gained a newfound awareness of Betty and her perils since learning the whole story about Chuck and their daughter.

Out in the corridor, Betty whispers reassurances to her daughter, trying to hush her cries as she gently pats her back rhythmically in her attempts to silence her distressed daughter. Veronica stands by her side feeling both a little helpless and a little useless as she feebly holds Emi's nappy bag beside Betty with no idea in the slightest as to what she can do or suggest to help Betty. Watching her friend, Veronica suddenly realises that she is so far in over her head when it comes to her knowledge of settling babies, in comparison to the young mother who is cycling through all her little tricks with her daughter without success.

Then, it's out there in the corridor when a teacher's attention is caught by the unusual sound for a typical high school setting. However, Coach Clayton has far more interest in that peculiarity than any other teacher or staff member in that school as he slowly walks past the teen mother who is trying to comfort her daughter, with her friend standing by her side.

Veronica watches the coach, noting his fixed attention and interest on the bundle in Betty's arms. Meanwhile, Betty exhales a sigh as she fails to settle her daughter, though she continues persisting with the task, looking up just as she's adjusting Emi, trying a different hold on her daughter to see if it will make any difference on the distressed baby. Doing so, Betty's eyes raise too and she notes the interest of the teacher just metres away who is taking his time to walk past her, with his eyes quite clearly on her daughter.

Exhaling another sigh, Betty realises that much like the rest of the Riverdale; Coach Clayton  _too_  must know that he is her daughter's paternal grandfather...

Then, with just metres between them in the hallway, the teenager and the teacher briefly make eye contact before both of them flinch away uncomfortably. Betty strongly suspects that if Veronica weren't with her, Coach Clayton would have approached her.

However, after the uncomfortable little moment has passed and as Coach Clayton walks out of sight, Betty exhales yet another sigh as she presses a kiss to Emi's head, continuing to try and settle her baby.

It's just another can of worms that has been opened since the truth of Emi's paternity has come out... After all, it's one thing to keep  _Chuck_  out of Emi's life, but what about his family?

Betty doesn't have a single clue what the answer to that question is. Because, just like Emi shouldn't, Chuck's family shouldn't have to be punished for his actions. After all, while Emi has no shortage of grandfather's between Betty's own father and FP, yet Riverdale High School's coach and sports teacher is her grandfather too. Then there's her paternal grandmother, Chuck's mother who runs Riverdale's local bakery along with his younger sister Chloe who is her daughter's aunty.

Another sigh...

"Are you alright, B?" Veronica asks gently.

While she might be little help in assisting with her best friend's baby, she can at least try to offer up some moral support to Betty herself, especially seeing as she's been sighing heavily every few seconds.

"Yeah... It's just hard. It's all just really, really hard..." Betty murmurs, continuing to rock Emi, desperately trying to settle her baby while she is mentally plagued with the new dilemmas that are raising themselves regarding Chuck's family.

The raven-haired girl gives the frazzled young mother a warm smile as she rubs her arm reassuringly.

"Well, it's a good thing that you're just about Wonder Woman then... Honestly B, you're doing  _amazingly_."

#

During lunchtime that day, when a certain red-head spots another jock further down the hallway, an intense frown settles on his face as he furrows his eyebrows seriously.

He can barely contain his disgust for his despicable teammate. So, when the two teenagers walk past each other, Archie cannot hold back his remark that only stops the other jock in his tracks.

"You are absolute scum..." Archie sneers with his evident disgust for Chuck infused into his words and his voice.

"What did you say?"

Chuck's words aren't a question as he stops and looks back to the red-head incredulously. After all, rather than a  _question_ , they are a  _challenge_ , seeing whether or not Archie will stand by his passing comment.

"You heard what I said. You are  _scum_."

With his anger blazing and his nostrils flaring, Chuck quickly snatches up Archie by the scruff of his neck as he pushes him up against the lockers that are behind them.

"What did you say, Andrews?!"

"You heard what I said and you know what you did. I know what you did to Betty... You are absolute  _filth_ , Chuck. Vile doesn't even begin to cover it. You shouldn't have been anywhere near that baby the other day. But, thankfully, you won't be ever, ever again."

From where he's pushing Archie up against the lockers, a smirk ripples across Chuck's full lips.

"That's where you're wrong. I'm going for custody, too, and I won't stop till I win."

At the unexpected twist that Archie hadn't seen coming, his face freezes for a moment before he regains his composure and blasts the other man once again.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE! Leave Betty and Jughead alone. You shouldn't be anywhere near them or  _their_  baby, not after what you did."

Chuck simply laughs Archie's enraged comments off with a complacent scoff.

"What lies is that serpent slut spinning now?"

"You  _know_  what you did, Chuck. You hurt her. And you think you're so big and strong but what you did to Betty just goes to show how weak and how filthy you are. You couldn't even take 'no' for an answer..."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Chuck counters simply, unfazed.

However, it's not Chuck's  _words_  that make Archie snap; it's the smirk on his lips that does it.

With that, Archie throws the first punch, starting the pattern off as fists go flying and heads go ducking and diving. After Archie gets Chuck square on the face with his first swing, the other man gets him back with a nasty blow to the jaw as arms continue to fly in the every direction during the heated fist-fight that is being fuelled by rage. Both boys are oblivious to the crowd that is rapidly beginning to gather around them and grow as they watch on.

"Give it up, Andrews! You really believe her poison?!"

While the fight had begun with Chuck pushing Archie up against the locker, the tables turn as he does the same, pushing the other man up against the lockers on the other side of the hallway.

The moment is being fuelled on by the adrenaline that is pulsing through Archie, just like his own guilt over what happened to Betty. Then, seeing the utter lack of remorse in both Chuck's words and his smirk despite the fact that he knows full-well what he had done, suddenly Archie can't stop the words that go roaring from his lips...

"You are a pig! You  _raped_  her! You raped Betty and you aren't even a little bit sorry for it!"

And, just like that, it's out.

Following Archie's unfiltered revelation, there's a ripple of gasps and whispers throughout the corridor as people react to what he has just said.

Then, suddenly Chuck isn't Archie's focus anymore as his big, brown eyes open wide, filled with panic as he looks around at his classmates, suddenly realising the words that had left his lips; the words he knew his best friend was adamant against being said, the revelation he'd essentially promised her he'd protect for her daughter's sake...

So, looking around the room, panicking, Archie sees the corridor full of different eyes and reactions at what he has just said... He sees Cheryl, Moose, Reggie, Ethel, Kevin, and Jughead, just to name a few... However, it's when he sees  _one_  person in particular who is in the middle the crowd when Archie seems to forget about his fight, racing off and over to the person who is turning around and walking away.

"Betty! Betty, stop! Wait! Betty, come on! Please, Betty!"

Archie ignores Jughead's angered requests to stop, to leave her alone and to give her space. Instead, the red-head just shoves one of his best friend's arms off of him that had been attempted to hold him back, failing to interrupt his focus from one person in particular. Instead, Archie's pleas to speak to Betty continue as he follows closely behind her, trying to get her to stop and speak to him as she walks through the crowds of students.

However, after Archie fails to listen to both Betty and Jughead's attempts to stop him, Betty eventually comes to a grinding stop as they reach a quiet part of the corridor, well away from where Chuck and Archie's brawl had first broken out. Then, with tears streaming down her cheeks, Betty succumbs to her friend's pleas to speak to her while he trailed behind her as she turns around to face her remorseful friend, clutching her own daughter in her arms tightly.

"What, Archie?! What can you  _possibly_  say?! It's too late... There's nothing you can do to take this back, now. There's nothing that will make this better."

Archie's big, brown eyes are wide with fear and his eyebrows are furrowed with concern. He doesn't regret what he had done in his haste. Rather, his only worry lies in the impact that it has had on his friendship with his best friend...

"I'm sorry, Betty, but I couldn't let him get away with what he did to you... I didn't mean to announce it and I didn't mean for everyone else to hear it, but I just couldn't let him act like nothing happened, like he didn't do what he did."

"What happened with Chuck happened to  _me_ , Archie. It's  _my_  choice who I choose to share that with or who I choose to keep that from. I didn't want that to come out! All I wanted was to protect Emi... Now, it's too late to stop what happened to me and it's too late to prove what Chuck did. All I wanted was to protect Emi from that and from him and now it's too late for that, too."

Archie opens his mouth to speak his protests and counter Betty's arguments, but she jumps in first, silencing him as she continues to speak and fill him in on another detail, another game-changing factor that the red-head had overlooked in his quest for justice for his best friend.

"And, now that the truth has come out the day _after_  Chuck filed a paternity suit and told me he's going for custody, guess how that's going to look, Archie? This is all just going to look like a desperate attempt to fight against that and it's just going to look like an excuse as to the reason why my husband isn't my daughter's biological father. I'm going to look like the boy who cried wolf..."

Archie's shoulders straighten up defensively as his brow creases with concern for his best friend over her own insinuation of people calling her a liar for declaring that she had been raped.

"Of course people will believe you, Betty! People know you; they know what you're like..."

With tears welling up in the eyes, Betty rocks Emi as she glances away and exhales a shaky sigh.

"Look, even in the best-case scenario and even if people do believe me, everyone still knows... They still know how  _my_  beautiful little girl was made. It's going to be near-impossible to keep that from Emi, growing up in a town where everyone around her knows that about her."

Looking at the innocent little baby in his best friend's arms, the baby who is caught bang in the middle of this whole mess, Archie's head ducks, shamefully, averting Betty's heartbroken glance.

"I appreciate that you had the best of intentions, Archie, but you haven't fixed anything; it's only made things that much worse. Now, this is going to change Emi's life forever... What happened isn't her fault! It's not her fault that she was the product of something so awful happening to me. All Emi did was  _exist_  and now she's going to be forced to bear the weight of something so awful, knowing that everyone around her knows about that, too. She doesn't deserve that, Arch..." Betty is in tears, holding her beloved daughter closely, kissing a kiss to her forehead lovingly. "My baby doesn't deserve that."

Fighting off the tears that are rapidly filling her reddening emerald eyes, Betty takes a deep breath before uttering the blow of her following words to her best friend before walking off.

"Look, I know you were only trying to defend me, Archie, but I don't know if I can forgive you for this..."

#

After the lunchtime altercation between Archie and Chuck, both Betty and Jughead left school early that day, signing themselves out in an attempt to dodge the fallout from Betty's rape being revealed to the whole school, likely to spread like wildfire throughout the town.

However, along with the revelation would come the speculation; with each person having their own say on the legitimacy of the news, some siding with Betty while others would defend Chuck.

But, amongst the gossip and amongst the stir that Archie revealing Betty's rape had created, there was a little family of three stuck in the very middle of it all, affecting each one of them and their life, profoundly.

Betty is sitting on her windowsill, slumped into her husband's arms as he holds her tightly, wishing he could protect her from everything outside their bedroom walls as he holds as close as he can within his arms. From where she's resting against him and nestled into his neck as he strokes her hair, Betty is holding Emi who is fast asleep, for what's likely to be just another little cat-nap. Betty knows she should put her daughter in bassinet and just let her rest properly, but she can't bring herself to let go, wanting to protect her baby just like Jughead wants to protect  _her_.

"It's not fair, Jug... I am so,  _so_  angry with Archie. This is going to change Emi's life" she croaks through her sobs, stroking her daughter's plump, tanned cheek. "It's not fair. None of this is Emi's fault, but  _she's_  the one who is going to suffer for it."

Then, inhaling a deep breath as he presses a kiss to the top of Betty's head, Jughead gazes down at the two girls in his arms -his whole world- as he prepares to make the obscene suggestion to one of them in order to protect the other.

"We should leave Riverdale. You, me, Emi... We should start afresh, just the three of us. We should move away, wipe the slate clean somewhere where no one knows us and somewhere where no one knows the whole story, so Emi doesn't need to know the truth..."

Looking up to him with her tear-filled green eyes, Betty's disbelief at what Jughead has just said is evident. His words have shocked her to the core, knowing it would mean leaving behind their friends, their families and their entire lives in their hometown in exchange for a life of difficulty and struggle in order to protect their daughter. Yet, just in case she doubts that she's heard him right, he repeats the same suggestion once again.

"We should move away. We should leave Riverdale."

However, sitting there in their little haven, away from the drama orbiting their world, both Betty and Jughead have  _no_  idea what is set to transpire over the following twenty four hours, what will change their lives forever...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, things are getting more and more intense... Bughead might be moving! And poor Archie is feeling the guilt over feeling like Betty's rape could have been avoided if that night played out a little differently. However, with his guilt and anger over what did happen, Archie acted impulsively in confronting Chuck and didn't stop to think about his actions. And, now, the truth is out...
> 
> Thanks to everyone who left a comment on the last chapter. I hope you all love this one. Please let me know what you thought. I'd love to what you all think. Things have been so busy and I was actually speeding through and proof-reading this during my lunch break at work to be able to get it up!
> 
> Next chapter: Jughead and Betty discuss the idea of leaving Riverdale before paying FP visit. Then, what does the end of the countdown mark as everything comes to a head during the final hours?


	40. Times Up

**CHAPTER FORTY: TIMES UP**

The weekend couldn't come soon enough after one horrid week that all branched back to Chuck Clayton. For Betty and Jughead it had been an awful few days, filled with nightmares, threats, public revelations and the most heart-stopping moment of having their daughter taken.

Come Saturday morning, the newlyweds make the most of their morning lie-in for as long as their daughter will allow them, with their only plan for the day being taking Emi for her six-week check up with the midwife, followed by Betty's six-week postnatal appointment. Given that the small town's local clinic is currently struggling with being short-staffed, both Betty's appointment as well as Emi's check up and shots had to be scheduled one week later than usual. Emi had her six-week immunisations yesterday, after school. After all, just in case poor Betty hadn't suffered  _enough_  already that day, she also had to endure the guilt and torture of watching her baby's immunisations that were undoubtedly harder on her than they were her daughter.

So, after Emi's six AM feed, both she and her mother went back to sleep until Betty woke up again, just after Jughead as it nears ten that morning.

"Good morning, beautiful..."

With sleepy eyes and a groggy yawn, Betty smiles at the man beside her. Their pillows are placed directly side-by-side with just millimeters between their faces to separate them. Then, from where her hands had been tucked beneath her pillow, Betty releases one to reach out to her husband as her hand comes to rest on his cheek, stroking his smooth skin tenderly as she slowly begins to wake up by looking into his blue eyes.

"How'd you sleep?" Jughead asks with the concern evident in his eyes. After all, he knows that Betty has been waking up numerous times in the night not only to their newborn but also from her suffocating nightmares that she's been enduring.

"I actually slept really well last night. My mind was racing so it did take me a while to fall asleep, but then once I was asleep I don't remember having any nightmares through the night. Even Emi only woke me twice; once at two and then again at six."

Stroking a hand through Betty's blonde locks, a little smile curls on the corner of Jughead's lips. He's beyond relieved that his wife had a relatively peaceful night's sleep after so many broken rests that have ended with her waking up, clutching her chest and panting, while she tries to separate her nightmares from reality as he holds her and reassures her, calming her through the ongoing after-effects of her attack.

"I'm so glad. I thought that you seemed to be sleeping a little heavier than normal last night. In fact, not long after we fell asleep, Emi started fussing at one point and you slept straight through it."

There's a smile on Jughead's face; glad that she had been relaxed enough to sleep through what was just a bit of unsettled grizzling when little Emi was just looking for a bit of comfort and attention not long after she'd fallen to sleep. However, the look on Betty's face is quite the opposite. Her eyes grow wide with surprise and concern at the peculiarity for herself.

"Did I? Seriously?! I  _never_  sleep through her... I'm really sorry, Jug. You should have just woken me and I would have dealt with her. What time was that?"

Jughead leans over a little to press a loving kiss to her forehead in order to soothe her evident guilt at what he has just told her.

"It's all good, Betts. You obviously needed the rest... It would have been around eleven-ish, I think. It was no trouble. I just took her for a little walk around the block and she calmed right down. Honestly, the fresh air did us both good and Ems and I had a nice bit of daddy-daughter bonding time. Don't feel bad for that, Betty."

Jughead's reassurances have quickly reduced Betty's guilt and furrowed brow, bringing a small smile across her lips as she leans over to press a gentle kiss to his lips. Her hand latches onto his bare shoulder from where he lies beside her as they lay on their sides, looking at each other intently with millimetres between them, separating them.

"You are such a good dad to her, Juggie, and that just makes me love you so much more than I already do."

Smiling at his wife's praise, Jughead reduces the space between them, shuffling even closer towards her as his lips meet hers in a long, deep kiss that gradually grows in intensity.

When they finally pull away, Jughead waits to catch his breath before he raises the next question on his mind.

"Have you thought anymore about what I suggested yesterday?"

Betty glances away, exhaling a sigh, before her gaze returns to her husband. During the moment of silence, Jughead continues to speak, elaborating on his initial question to her.

"I think we need to get away from here... Riverdale is a toxic place for our family."

Despite the serious conversation that they are having, Betty and Jughead's feet continue touching and rubbing against each others from where their legs are entangled beneath the sheets. Meanwhile, their hands explore each other in the privacy and comfort of their bed.

"I've thought about it, but I don't know, Jug... Obviously, the main advantage of getting away and moving somewhere where no one knows about us, our past and the truth about Emi is for her sake. For that reason, a fresh start  _is_  tempting, but everyone and everything in our life is here in Riverdale... We are so young to be juggling a baby and a marriage and I don't know how we'd cope without everyone's support. I don't even think we'd be able to afford moving away."

"I know. It would be hard... So much harder than it  _already_  is. I'd have to quit school to support us and we'd have to hope that we can find some way for you to finish school either externally or with a similar arrangement we have here. But, I feel like moving away is the best way to protect our little girl."

Betty nods at what he's saying, looking to him, then looking away as her hand brushes back and forth against his shoulder and the side of his arm as she thinks about what he's telling her before she speaks up with her opinion.

"I feel like the odds are  _already_  against us, Jug. We shouldn't do anything else to make it harder on ourselves at risk of reaching a breaking point... But, while it would make things harder on us, I agree that moving away  _would_  probably be the best way to protect Emi. So, I don't think we should make a hasty decision like that and we shouldn't act on that just yet, but we  _should_  keep the idea of leaving in the back of our mind if it looks like things are going to get worse or the second it looks like Chuck might have even a chance against us. All we can hope for is that it is just an empty threat and Chuck doesn't end up filing a paternity suit and going for custody... I just feel like we're going to be a stronger family for staying here."

Both of them know that best-case scenario that Betty has just mentioned is near-impossible. After all, Chuck has made his intentions to be involved in Emi's life quite clear, over and over again. But, with a little sigh, Jughead succumbs to Betty's reasoning.

"No, you're right..." Jughead agrees, although a little reluctantly as he looks to his wife. After all, although he knows Betty might be right in not making such a hasty move that would change their family's life while also make things infinitely harder for them, Jughead still hates the fact that there is no perfect solution.

Moving away would be near  _impossible_ , but, staying put in Riverdale is just as risky in different ways.

After all, there are no ideals in their situation. There never really  _has_  been...

Rather, Betty and Jughead's relationship and marriage has been a whole host of struggle, challenges and trials, all slathered together and bound by their deep love for each other and their mutual love and commitment to their daughter. That is all that is keeping their little family of three clinging onto each other as they move through the rocky waters and ride out the storm that is their life.

#

Before their appointment, Jughead and Betty decided to pop past his father's trailer seeing as Jughead remembered to relay the message to his wife that FP had invited them to visit him sometime, with the older man saying he wanted to catch up and touch base with the newlyweds. However, Jughead strongly suspects his father's intentions involves cuddles with his granddaughter more than he is interested in talking to them.

Jughead's suspicions seem to be confirmed as he knocks on the door of his former home -his family's old and run-down trailer- and his father opens the door to the trio, with his eyes lighting up at the sight of the bundle in Jughead's arms.

"How's my favourite granddaughter?" FP begins, before his focus is broadened and he looks between the newlyweds also. "How are you all?"

"We're fine, thanks FP" Betty replies with a smile as she and Jughead make their way inside the small trailer.

The smile on Betty's face lingers and remains as she takes a seat on the lounge and watches on in the interactions between three generations of Joneses.

While Emi is carried into the trailer in Jughead's arms, the raven-haired boy doesn't wait long before he offers his baby over to his own father who is eager to take the newborn in his open arms. Smiling down at her as her big, brown eyes meet his own blue ones, Jughead presses a kiss to the top of little Emi's head before he hands his daughter over to his father.

Betty smiles at the sight before her, watching the rough Serpent who had melted away after the birth of her daughter, exposing the gentle and loving grandfather that lay beneath the surface.

Although she thought that FP deserved to know the entire truth about Emi and her paternity and although she wanted him to know everything in order to give him the chance to choose with all the facts, Betty had been worried about the effect that knowing the truth would have on his relationship with her daughter. After all, she knew that knowing all the facts and having the chance to choose included the potential of Emi being rejected upon FP learning that she is not his granddaughter biologically. However, now that he knows all the facts and now that her father-in-law  _chooses_  to love her daughter like she is his own grandchild, it means that much more to Betty.

After handing their daughter over to her grandfather, Jughead joins Betty over on the loveseat lounge wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she snuggles into his side. Meanwhile, across the room, FP's attention is poured out on the baby in his arms, rocking her a little until he too takes a seat at the other lounge before speaking up to the newlyweds.

"So how have things been?"

Betty and Jughead look to each other, sharing a silent glance before Betty speaks up on their behalf.

"Things have been okay. This week's been a little tough..."

FP's attention is stolen away from his granddaughter for a moment as he looks up, fearing for his son and daughter-in-law momentarily after Betty's remark. However, noting the fact that they're cuddled up together on the lounge seems to alleviate some of FP's concerns.

"Why? Is everything okay with you guys?"

In answer to FP's question, it is Jughead who speaks up and explains things this time.

"We've had some trouble with Chuck this week. Emi's-" Jughead begins to speak and he starts to say 'biological father', but he cannot bring himself finish that sentence. It doesn't feel right to refer to anyone other than himself as his daughter's father. "...with the  _guy_  who hurt Betty."

"What kind of trouble?"

Once again, Betty and Jughead share another look. This time, Jughead can hear the stern tone in his father's voice.

"He took Emi at school earlier this week. Thankfully we got her back within a few hours, but things sort of escalated from there... That in itself was awful and gave us both a scare, but the next day he told us that he's intending to file a paternity suit and go for custody of Emi. After he took her, we had to explain to our friends about what happened with Betty, too. Then, just to top it all off, Archie was confronting him about it and accidentally spilled the beans in front of half the school."

"Bloody hell..." FP murmurs under his breath, sitting across from the young couple as he continues to rock their daughter.

Although FP is holding his daughter so gently and delicately, Jughead can see the growing fury and burning rage within his father... It's like a vivid personification of yin and yang. However, Jughead's fear lies in not knowing  _which_  elements reigns supreme within his father...

#

A little later on that afternoon and just after they've returned home, Betty is rocking her daughter in her arms, bouncing Emi gently as she walks around, hoping to settle her baby in order to join her husband in participating in the exciting activities that he's carrying out on their bed... namely,  _studying_.

However, after just a few minutes, the silence of the room is interrupted. Unfortunately, the sudden noise disturbs Emi whose eyes had  _just_  begun to flutter closed, before the sound of her mother's ringtone opens her big, brown eyes once again, undoing all of Betty's efforts over the last few minutes.

"Your phone" Jughead states, picking up his wife's phone from within its aqua cover. He catches a glimpse of the caller ID as he yanks it out from the charger before he gets up and walks across the room. Then, Jughead exchanges the baby in Betty's arms for her phone, before he continues to rock Emi and continues with Betty's attempts to settle her. "It's Kevin."

"Hey Kev" Betty utters, answering her phone with an exasperated little huff.

Glancing over to his wife from across the room as she listens in intently on the phone, Jughead tries to determine the expression on Betty's face as one of her closest friends speaks to her.

 _Finally_ , after a few painfully long minutes, Betty utters the "thanks for letting me know" which tells Jughead that the conversation is drawing to a close as she ends the call and looks over to him with a serious, graven expression on her face before she finally tells Jughead what the Sheriff's son has just told her.

It's all over, and it's only just beginning...

"He said he wanted to tell me before the news spread... Another body was found near Sweetwater River... It's Chuck. He's dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Chuck's dead. How did he die? Was it murder? If so, who finally rid Riverdale of Chuck Clayton? I hope you all enjoyed that little bit of Bughead fluff and a visit to Grandpa FP before the drama escalated with that phone call. Here we have the beginning of the mystery, folks...
> 
> Just a little advance warning, but updates may be a little all over the place as something really awful and sudden has impacted my personal life in the last week. Thanks for understanding.
> 
> Also, thank you so much for everyone who left a comment on the last chapter. 
> 
> Next chapter: Betty struggles with her guilt and mixed emotions. And who is the first to be hauled in for questioning over the circumstances surrounding Chuck's death?


	41. The Tip Of The Iceberg

**CHAPTER FORTY ONE: The Tip Of The Iceberg**

There are many, many people in the town of Riverdale who wanted Chuck Clayton dead. Each one of those people would confess to at least once or twice imagining the ways that they'd give the despicable young man a taste of his own medicine if they were given the chance. Yet, it all came down to  _one_  person.

Chuck Clayton's body had been found in Eversgreen Forest, less than two hundred metres away from Sweetwater River.

The approximate time of death had been determined to be around eleven o'clock the evening before his body was discovered.

A local couple in their sixties had made the grisly discovery on their morning walk through the forest that runs alongside Sweetwater River.

While confirmation would only come with the coroner's report, the cause of death is believed to be blunt force trauma to the head, under suspicious circumstances, and with a whole host of suspects...

#

Betty sits for a long, long time after her phone call with Kevin. She just sits there, staring out on the world below her from where she sits on her windowsill, struggling to come to terms with what she has just been told.

On the other side of the room, Jughead settles Emi, tucking her into her bassinet, before joining Betty on the perch.

"Are you okay?"

He tries to hold her, he tries to touch her and he tries to give her whatever she needs in that moment. However, she simply shakes him off before squirming away from him and his touch.

"I don't know... I  _should_  be. My worst nightmares died along with Chuck today, after all. I should be relieved… I should be thankful… But, instead, I just feel sick."

Jughead persists with trying to comfort his wife, continuing to try and support her until once again she shifts away from him, though doing so unintentionally.

"Is this my fault?"

"What?" Jughead asks with serious, furrowed eyebrows.

Betty repeats the exact same question, looking up to Jughead fearfully. The concern that is etched onto his face doesn't shift. Rather, it only increases and intensifies at her words.

"How would  _any_  of this be your fault? Chuck had it coming and that is not even remotely on you, Betts."

As he tries to reassure her once again, Jughead speaks in a soft, low voice. Betty looks at him and she studies her husband's expression closely, looking for any trace of doubt in his words. However, her search comes up blank before she speaks up with her own perspective.

"Chuck was an awful, awful person... He was  _evil_. He deserved to rot in jail and he deserved to pay for his actions. But, even after everything that he did, I don't think that Chuck deserved to die..."

Jughead couldn't agree  _less_  with his wife's words. However, he realises that rushing in and charging at her with his own viewpoint on justice will do anything  _but_  bring Betty the comfort that she so desperately needs in that moment. So, after taking a moment and inhaling a deep breath, he reaches out to squeeze her hand before he continues to speak.

"He deserved that and so much more. After what he did to you-"

Although Jughead begins to speak, he doesn't get very far into his speech before his voice goes low and then it stops altogether. He can't bear to continue that thought and sentiment. After all, even after his death, the effects of Chuck's actions linger and remain, haunting both Betty and Jughead.

After his pause, Jughead stops in silence for a minutes before letting out a low cough as he tries to collect his thoughts, feeling his heart in his throat as he attempts to continue speaking.

"I hope he died slowly and painfully... He deserved so much worse than that for what he did to you, Betty, as well as for everything that he's put you through since."

Betty looks at her husband painfully. Jughead can  _see_  the confliction within her. After all, a part of her agrees with him and everything that he has just said... She  _hopes_  that Chuck died in a slow, drawn out and torturous way. She hopes that he saw her face and she hopes that he was forced to remember all that he did to her, reliving that in his final, dying moments... A part of Betty  _wants_  Chuck to have had to suffer for all the pain that he had exposed her to during one, horrific night that resulted in their daughter almost one year ago, along with all the ways he has made her and her families life a living hell from that day forward.

Yet, Betty can't bring herself to commit to that thought and to feel that entirely. She finds herself unable to wish a painful death on anyone, not even Chuck Clayton, and not even despite everything she has endured.

"I don't know, Jug... What if he died because of  _me_?"

Jughead's face scrunches up seriously and his eyebrows furrow questioningly.

"You didn't touch him, Betts... Chuck had it coming for his own actions. Do not put that on yourself, Betty."

Betty sighs deeply, moisture growing in her eyes before she replies.

She's not sad. She's confused, she's conflicted and she's feeling about a hundred different things over the fact that someone's death has ultimately made her life  _better_.

"I agree that he deserved to pay for what he did. He deserved to do the time he deserved to fester in prison. He shouldn't have gotten away with what he did and there's no way he should be any part of Emi's life. But, I don't feel like he deserved to die..."

Jughead nods solemnly, sensing the impact that Chuck's death has had on his wife. However, he maintains his own thoughts that are of a very different understanding to hers, believing that he deserved that and so much more. So, Jughead presses a kiss to her hair, not saying another word as he focuses on supporting her and comforting her.

"Jug? Is he dead because I wished he'd die, because I wished that he'd just leave our life and he wouldn't be a problem anymore? Or, now that everyone knows what he did to me, did someone murder him to avenge me?"

Betty looks to Jughead with her tear-filled eyes peering up to his blue eyes desperately, searching for what the answers to her fearful questions are.

"Do not blame yourself, Betty."

Jughead's words to her are a command. He is equally sincere as he is serious. Jughead then takes her hands into his, clutching hers tightly within his own in order to convey his certainty in his words and reassurances to her.

"I'm serious. Do  **not**  blame yourself. Like I said, this is so far from being your fault... And, if what happened to Chuck had to happen to anyone, then it's a good thing that it happened to  _him_."

Even despite Jughead's best efforts, he doesn't seem to get through to her as she keeps her hands in his but flinches away from his glance, turning and angling her body away from him as they sit side-by-side.

The young mother is punishing herself for what should be a dream come true for her, riddling her with guilt over the fact that she should rejoicing over a person's death...

After all, even after all that he had done to her, Betty still can't find it in herself to feel justified in feeling  _glad_  that her greatest enemy, the biological father of her child and her rapist has died.

#

Later on that evening, Betty barely touches her food at dinner, during which Alice and Hal are more than upbeat. In fact, the two of them are barely able to wipe the smiles off their faces at the same news that had their daughter left feeling conflicted and confused. Then, after dinner, Betty quickly away scurries upstairs in order to bathe, feed and settle her daughter, rocking little Emi in her arms for far longer than she needed to in order to settle her.

When Jughead finally creeps into their bedroom after helping Alice with the dishes, he slowly trails over to where Betty is sitting at their bedside with their baby fast asleep in her arms.

"How are you doing?" Jughead asks in little more than a whisper as he takes a seat beside her on the side of their bed, pressing a delicate kiss to her shoulder. Jughead glances down at their daughter whose full lips are parted in a slight O, her small breaths being drawn in and out rhythmically.

"I don't know..." Betty mumbles, patting Emi's back soothingly as she speaks up, comforting herself by comforting her daughter.

"I really don't know... I don't feel sad, but I don't feel like normal. It feels like something's changed. I don't know... Maybe I'm just a little shaken."

Betty's emerald eyes are fixed on looking down at her daughter as she uses her free hand to gently stroke her baby's blonde locks that have been slowly growing a little longer and curling a little tighter.

The two sit together in silence, admiring their daughter and watching little Emi sleep as they sit together side-by-side for far longer than either of them realises.

However, eventually the peaceful and serene moment draws to a close.

With a deep and heavy breath, Betty looks beside herself in order to glance over to her husband as she raises her voice and speaks up about what is on her mind now. Even though she is looking in his general direction, Betty dodges Jughead's gaze uncomfortably as she strives to muster up the courage to speak.

"Jug? I might take Emi's room tonight... Polly's bed is still in there. So, I might sleep there tonight, if you don't mind."

Jughead's face scrunches up in a frown. He understands that Chuck's death has understandably taken a toll on Betty in ways that she -let alone  _him_ \- cannot begin to understand. Yet, what he hadn't expected was the toll that it would take on their relationship and their marriage in what will mark their first night apart since their wedding day just two months ago.

The bedroom beside their own has been home to little more than the specks of dust that briefly gather within it before being cleaned routinely and made pristine once again by Alice. After all, Polly's childhood bedroom hasn't been hers for almost six months now; not since she left town to live with her aunt in Maine just a few months before her twins were born. Additionally, the new owner of Polly's bedroom is her own niece who hasn't shifted from the bassinet in her parents' bedroom just yet. So, really, the room is home to nothing more than Polly's old furniture and Emi's unworn clothes that are too big for her just yet.

"Why, Betts? Why do you want to sleep in Emi's room?  _Emi_  doesn't even sleep in there..." Jughead's voice is both gentle and a little hurt as he raises the question in answer to his wife's request. After all, he is both a little confused and a little pained by the fact that she suddenly seems to want space between them, even going so far as wanting to sleep apart from him.

So, Betty glances over to her husband before her gaze quickly flickers away, guiltily.

"I think I just need a little space, just for tonight. What has happened has kind of stirred everything up for me and I just need a bit of space..."

"From  _me_?"

After months of endeavouring to do everything in his power  _for_  his wife, Jughead finds it a difficult pill to swallow learning that  _he_  is what she needs space from tonight.

"Not  _from_  you, Juggie..." Betty croaks, reaching out to take her husband's hand within her own in an attempt to comfort him at the impact of her words. She's hurting and she's unintentionally hurting him, too. "I just need a little space from everyone and everything... I need time to process this."

Jughead nods hesitantly. He wants to tell her that they're supposed to be a team. He wants to remind her that they're married and that their vows extend to for better  _or_  for worse. But, more than anything else, Jughead wants the woman he loves to lean on him, rather than push him away.

"Alright... If that's what you think you need. Just know that I'm here for you, okay? If you'd like, I can take the other room and you can stay in here. Both you and Emi might be more settled if you're in your own beds."

Betty glances over to Jughead a little guiltily. While it might be what she thinks she needs, she feels a pang of guilt over ousting her husband out of their shared bedroom. However, Jughead not only accepts her need to shift away from him for the night but he also offers up a suggestion to make it even  _easier_  for her, which pains Betty that little bit more.

With Betty's question and request pushing a little wedge in the divide between them, the young couple sit in the silence that is no longer quite so comfortable anymore. Then, Jughead looks over to his young wife with a little sigh before he speaks up in a low and hesitant voice, asking her the question that he's not quite sure that he wants to hear the answer to.

"Betty? Are we okay?"

Betty jolts a little at Jughead's question, her gaze darts over to him as her emerald eyes are softly cast over him, analysing the seriousness of his question and quickly determining there is no humour in his words, just as she feared.

With their hands still intertwined since the last time that she noted a pang and fragment of pain within him, Betty gives Jughead's hand another little squeeze of reassurance. Then, with her other hand being occupied by her sleeping daughter within her arms, Betty waits for a moment before extracting their hands from one another's as she reaches up to touch the side of his face in another gesture and touch of reassurance, without addressing her husband's question.

"Of course  _we're_  okay. I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything. It's shaken me up a bit, Jug, and given my history with Chuck, I don't really want to be touched or comforted just right now."

Jughead nods in understanding, empathising with his wife over the implication of her reason, not wanting to push her into anything that will make her even a little uncomfortable or will trigger any reminders over the awful assault that she had experienced a year ago.

However, despite his total understanding, Jughead cannot help the way that his head drops down a little, sadly, and completely unintentionally. After all, while the news of Chuck's death has changed their lives, Jughead had never anticipated the impact that that very event would have on his and his wife's relationship and marriage. He had never expected that it would drive them that little further  _apart_  rather than closer  _together_ , even if it is for just one night.

Betty senses this and she notes the way that Jughead's head has fallen a little, like a disappointed child. However, knowing that he isn't pushing the way that  _he_  is feeling for her sake, Betty only feels her heart swell with even more love for the incredible, self-sacrificing man beside her and his love for her.

"I love you, Juggie" Betty mumbles, pressing a little kiss to his cheek in her attempts to reassure him as her emerald green eyes sparkle, looking deeply into his, earnestly.

Both of them are trying to deny the impact that Chuck's death is having on them, pushing it down, pushing it away and suppressing what will only build up and multiply in size. However, both of them believe Betty's words as she reassures them once again.

"It'll just be for one night,  _I promise_."

#

That night, Jughead had gotten very little sleep, surprising himself at just how accustomed to sleeping beside Betty he has grown in the few short months since he moved into the Cooper family home. However, it didn't help matters that he was tossing and turning in an unfamiliar bed, with his worries for his wife and daughter in the room beside him ever-present and unable to be suppressed.

However, after hearing Emi's cries the following morning, when Jughead brings a hot chocolate in for Betty knowing that she will be up and feeding their daughter, he tells his wife the very opposite to the truth. To relieve her of any guilt, Jughead tells her he had slept like a log, knowing that she'd only blame herself for his poor night's sleep if he told her the truth.

This takes place not long before six AM and feeling as though she won't get any more sleep, Betty invites Jughead to return to their bed despite spending the night apart. Then, after settling Emi back to sleep, they spend hours talking lazily about anything and everything from where they lay side-by-side, completely oblivious to what is occurring in the house next door, completely unaware that their best friend had been hauled off in the back of the Sheriff's car at the crack of dawn that day.

Perhaps if they had seen or heard some evidence of what was going on next door, it would have brought some warning or means of preparing for the knock that is heard on the Coopers  _own_  door a little later on that morning...

Hal answers the door, opening it to Sheriff Keller and his lackey standing side-by-side, requesting to see his son-in-law who appears just seconds later, walking towards the door a little fearfully. His wife is just a step behind him with their daughter in her arms as all of them hear the words that follow...

"Forsythe Jones? I'm going to need you to come down to the station for questioning in relation to the murder of Charles Clayton."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, thank you all so much for being so understanding of what's going on in my personal life. I know that the last two chapters have been posted a little later than usual because of it, but everything is getting back on track and I think that my posting schedule should return to normal from now. It's been a tough time for me and I really appreciate your understanding. Special thanks to everyone who left a comment on the last chapter.
> 
> Now, I hope you guys will enjoy the journey in the mystery that's going to unfold. And, don't worry, unlike the Black Hood storyline, I know exactly who killed Chuck and I won't just be picking a random later on, like 'oh hey, the janitor did it'! I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter nonetheless as this story begins to kick off.
> 
> Next chapter: Archie and Jughead are questioned over the murder. Then, Betty makes a controversial decision that Jughead's not sure he can support. What is it?


	42. Troubled Waters

**CHAPTER FORTY TWO: Troubled Waters**

"I  _didn't_  do it" Jughead prefaces through gritted teeth, speaking  _before_  he is spoken to.

After all, it's like a game of Mafia... As soon as suspicion is cast on you, it's impossible to shake. However, if you deny those suspicions, it simply seems like justification, like pushing for a reason to prove or explain your innocence. Yet, if you brush it off, or, worse yet, remain silent, it's as though you're admitting to it and you're succumbing. Basically, you're screwed, declared guilty either way.

"You don't know how many guilty men I've heard say those words, Mr. Jones. Incredibly, they're the ones that sound the most convincing saying it, too."

Jughead's eyebrows furrow seriously. He is so far from happy and even further from feeling at ease.

"So am I here for you to question me and hear my side of the story or am I just here to listen to you tell me that I'm guilty?"

Sheriff Keller rolls his eyes, failing to answer Jughead's question as he proceeds with the formal interview questions for the second time today. After all, he had already questioned the raven-haired man's neighbour and best friend first thing that morning, just before Jughead himself, and it's not even lunch time yet.

"So where were you between the hours of nine o'clock at night on the third of January to five o'clock on the fourth?"

"My wife and I were probably in bed, fast asleep. We have a newborn baby, you see, so that doesn't make for having much of a nightlife any later than eight o'clock at night."

Sheriff Keller waits for a moment, his gaze lingering on the younger man in silence. It makes for a moment that Jughead can only assume is some kind of scare tactic, an attempt at prompting him to continue speaking. However, he just remains silent, pouring all of his effort into keeping his expression fixed and strong against the middle-aged man until the period of silence suffices and the small town Sheriff moves onto his next question.

"So as you mentioned, you have a newborn..." Sheriff Keller begins, pausing in order to thumb through his paperwork and fact-check one detail before adding to his initial remark. "Emilie Jones?"

"Correct."

Sheriff Keller glances at Jughead and studies him for a moment. Then, he holds his hands together out in front of him on the table as his icy-blue eyes narrow on the vulnerable young man sitting across from him.

"Now, I mean no offence, but you cannot help but notice that the baby doesn't bear the strongest resemblance to yourself and your wife."

Sheriff Keller's comment over Emi's physical appearance makes Jughead grow tense and serious. His shoulders freeze up uncomfortably at the insinuation that is being made over the fact that his daughter does not look like him whatsoever and only  _just_  passes as Betty's daughter.

"I would think very carefully about what you're going to say next and I would be very,  _very_  careful about what you're implying, Sheriff Keller. Look at my daughter's birth certificate and you'll see exactly who her parents are, as recognised in the eyes of the law."

With a brief nod, Sheriff Keller quickly abandons that grey area in his line of questioning and the way that he had planned to raise the fact that Chuck had filed a paternity suit. Instead, he leaves the qualitative approach of that issue alone for now as he moves onto his next question.

"Okay, so you said that you were in your home, asleep, on the night that I asked you about. Now your daughter is what, two months old? You're telling me that she slept through the whole night? She didn't wake you at all during the night of the murder? That sounds a little odd for a newborn baby, don't you think?"

Jughead is taken aback from the question momentarily, not having considered that factor as anything other than normal. To himself it goes without saying that Emi had woken up during the night. However, Jughead knows that he needs to be cautious and tread carefully in not seeming as though he is backtracking in his words that follow.

"Well, she did, but that's just normal. She usually wakes up several times each night. That's nothing out of the ordinary for our routine so I didn't think to mention it about that night especially."

"So you  _were_  up and awake during the night of the murder..."

"Well, yeah..."

Sheriff Keller nods, his eyes focused intently on Jughead as he raises another question with a small smirk on his lips.

"Did you leave the house that night?"

Jughead sighs, slipping his hands under the beanie that is atop his head in order to run his hands through his hair. He's already halfway through doing this and he has his hands in his dark locks when Jughead realises that the gesture is not likely doing him any favours in proving his innocence.

"Did I leave the house that night? Not as far as I remember... It's sounds dodgy, but look, you know that we have a newborn baby. Sleep deprivation and having broken nights sleep does things to your mind. Sometimes we take her for a walk around the block, sometimes we sit out on the back porch with her, sometimes we take her for a drive around. I cannot remember leaving the house that night but sometimes we do. The point is that each night blurs into every other night. You just do whatever will settle your baby down at the time."

With another nod, Sheriff Keller scrawls something down on the concealed piece of paper that is sitting in front of him, despite the fact that Jughead had been warned that the entire interview would be recorded and could be used as evidence in court. Jughead takes whatever the Sheriff has just written down on his paper as  _not_  a good sign.

"Can your wife support that, Mr. Jones? Does she know for a certainty that you didn't leave the house that night?"

Knowing that he can't say 'yes' to that, Jughead simply tries to say any word other than 'no'.

"She is just as sleep-deprived as I am, more so, even. We can tell you what we  _think_  we did. However, the nights do blur into each other."

Sheriff Keller shoots the younger man a suspicious glance, setting his pen down to the paper in order to focus on locking eyes with Jughead.

"That's a pretty weak and flimsy alibi in a murder investigation, wouldn't you say?"

"No. I'm just trying not to incriminate myself, like I know you want me to, while I try to be honest with you. However, what I  _can_  tell you with certainty is that neither Betty or myself were anywhere near that forest on the night of the murder, nor have either of us been anywhere near there for several weeks."

Picking up his pen again, another note is scribbled onto the Sheriff's sheet of paper. Not good.

Taking a deep breath, Jughead tries to prepare himself for the next question. He's thankful that the Sheriff seems to be following a different set and theme of questions this time, marking the end of the last lot and moving on with some more.

"Okay. Now let's talk about your connection to the victim... How would you describe your relationship with Mr. Clayton?"

"Well I'd begin with not calling it a 'relationship'. We were classmates. I avoided him wherever and whenever I could. That's about it."

Sheriff Keller nods slowly as a small pout develops on his lips. It's like he has a piece of news that he's desperately trying to withhold as it fights and begs to burst free. And, then, it does.

"But it's not that simple, is it, Mr. Jones? You see, I know that the victim filed a paternity suit against you and your wife, alleging to be Emilie's biological father, just a few days before he died. So, seeing as you said that you avoided him as much as you could, this would have made trying to avoid him hard, then, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, yes, but that's hardly a motive to kill someone. I  _already_  had to see him daily at school."

Jughead's words come easy and he feels confident in his retort this time. The ease is evident on his face, until Sheriff Keller's focus intensifies and narrows on the man across from him with the next question that doesn't leave him feeling quite as easy...

"Yes, but given that the victim had filed for paternity of your daughter, wouldn't that enrage you?"

It  _did_  enrage him.

In fact 'enrage' was an understatement. So, after a long, extended pause, Jughead chooses his wording very carefully to avoid any implications at the Sheriff's leading question. In doing so, Jughead doesn't answer to the fact that yes, it enrages him immensely.

"Betty and I were getting ready to fight it  _legally_. We had every confidence in the fact that Chuck didn't stand a chance against us if the whole story came to light.

"Sure, but wouldn't it be easier to just off Chuck  _altogether_? Get both him and the paternity suit out of the picture entirely?"

Following Sheriff Keller's question, he squints at Jughead's intently after uttering questions that had been constructed as if to con a confession out of the younger man and get him to agree with what's had been said, employing yet another tactic in his questioning.

However, Jughead doesn't play along with the game. Instead, he tries to depict himself and his wife as sounding far more confident than they had been in the wake of Chuck declaring that he was filing a paternity suit against them, along with going for custody of their daughter.

"Not really. It would only exchange one problem for another, bigger problem. Betty and I had been confident that Chuck wouldn't stand a chance against us so why make things even worse when we didn't even think of it as that big of a deal?"

Then, in the moment of silence after Jughead finishes explaining his answer to the leading question, the beanie-clad young man narrows his eyes seriously at the officer once again, speaking up before Sheriff Keller has a chance to say or ask him anything else, just using the chance to reaffirm his innocence.

"I  _didn't_  do it."

#

Waiting out on the cheap chairs in the reception, Archie and Veronica sit side-by-side as Betty paces around the room in front of them in the same way she would while rocking and settling her daughter in her arms, only doing so sans-Emi.

When her husband had been whisked away in the back of the police car that morning, it had left Betty feeling helpless and distraught. So, after handing her daughter over to her mother, Hal drove Betty into town where she's since spent the entire time waiting for the questioning to be over.

Betty remembers just how scared Jughead had been during the interrogation over Jason Blossom's murder and she can only imagine how much more so terrified he must be today.

"Where is he?! What's taking them so long?!" Betty utters, asking anyone who will answer her as she paces back and forth around the small waiting area in the entrance of the police station as her friends watch on with concern.

Knowing the series of vigorous questions that  _he_  had just been asked by the same Sheriff, Archie is especially concerned for one of his best friend's who has been squirreled away in the room. However, he is forced to helplessly watch on and witness the impact that's it's having on Jughead's wife -Archie's other best friend- as she paces back and forth in her attempts to calm herself down.

"Hopefully it won't take much longer, B..." Veronica soothes gently. She speaks up from where she has her arms wrapped around her boyfriend in her attempts to comfort him too after the loud knock on the door had awoken Archie in the worst possible, waking him up to being dragged down to the station along with his father.

Then, after the long, exhausting and invasive questioning finally draws to a close, Jughead surfaces from the interview room, having his fingerprints taken and being told to stay in town.

As soon as he takes one step away from the Sheriff, Betty races over to her husband, throwing her arms around his neck with relief over the fact that he had made it out the other side. Instantly she presses a kiss to his lips before her arms release themselves from around his neck in order for her hands to lay rested on and pressed against his chest.

"How are you? How'd it go? What did they say?"

"I think I'm the prime suspect... I can just about  _feel_  the enormous target on my back."

Jughead's words are so far from what Betty wants to hear. So, with a sad, deep sigh, Betty strokes her husband's cheek affectionately, brushing his skin with the back of her hand as she murmurs her reassurances to him. Those words are the exact same reassurances that she is desperately trying to cling onto, hope in and believe in for  _herself_ , with everything that she has.

"We'll get through this. We're going to be okay..."

#

After calling her mother, checking in with her and being told her daughter had just fallen asleep after taking to a bottle of baby formula, Betty and Jughead decide to make the most of the time out of the house alone, as Alice encouraged them to do so.

So, in order to try and move on from and distract themselves from Jughead's questioning and the murder investigation that they have found themselves right in the middle of, the newlyweds head straight to  _Pop's_  for an impromptu little low-key date without their daughter in tow.

Upon entering  _Pop's Chock'Lit Shoppe_ hand-in-hand, a little ring bellows through the diner. Almost instantly, the young couple are greeted by the older man standing behind the counter.

"Morning, kids. Where's my favourite little customer?" Pop Tate asks with disappointment upon seeing Betty and Jughead's unusually empty arms.

"Sorry, Pop. She's fast asleep and at home with my parents."

With a nod of acknowledgement, the older man leaves the teenagers to make their way to their usual table, where they take a seat side-by-side, giving them a few moments before he'll go over and take their order.

As Jughead and Betty slide into a booth together, he holds his arm out and open to her and she doesn't hesitate before nestling into her husband's side, resting against his chest.

"So how are you  _really_  doing?" Betty asks in a low murmur, running her fingertips along the outer fleece of his Sherpa jacket.

Betty can feel her husband shrug from where she's lying against his body and resting on his chest. She extends a hand upwards in order to reach out and press a hand to his cheek soothingly, stroking a hand up and down the side of his face, comforting him.

"It was mentally exhausting... You know, you're trying to keep your answers honest, without incriminating yourself. You're trying to get used to the feeling of being targeted, like they're just waiting for you to trip up. And, you constantly have to read between the lines of the questions you're being asked."

After Jughead exhales a heavy sigh, Betty shifts away a little from where she's been lying against his chest, in order to reach up and press a gentle kiss to her husband's lips before settling back down against his chest.

"So he was really murdered, hey?"

"Yeah... And I feel like I'm the prime suspect."

A heavy sigh escapes Jughead's lips as the look on his face breaks her heart.

Sheriff Keller had been keen to try and pin Jason Blossom's murder on him and even more so his father. Unfortunately, Jughead's motive is only that much stronger now that the victim is Chuck Clayton this time around.

"We should have left. We should have moved away... Maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe you wouldn't be a suspect then."

"Don't weigh yourself down with all the 'maybes', Betts. What's done is done. We know it's not either of us and hopefully justice will prevail and prove that."

Betty nods from where she is rested against his chest as he gently strokes his hands through her golden locks. From there, the two fall to silence as he holds her within his arms as she rests against him and his chest. They are both absorbing the comfort and security from each other.

Then, after a few minutes, Betty feels her husband exhale another heavy sigh, knowing him well enough to feel something tighten and constrict within him uncomfortably. This peculiarity catches Betty's attention in the silence as her emerald green eyes fly up to him in concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just thinking about something... I'm getting a little worried that my dad's not so innocent."

Jughead looks down and notes the total shock on his wife's face, quickly continuing to speak and explain in a low voice.

"Just think about it... We visited my dad, talked to him about some of the things that have been going on and then Chuck was murdered later that very same night. Or, even if it was not him, maybe he enlisted someone else to off Chuck. I mean, he and Joaquin have already 'dealt with him' once before. My question is just how  _far_  my dad would go to protect us. And, I'm really worried that I don't have a clue what the answer to that question is..."

Looking up to her husband, Betty can see the fear in his face that makes him appear so much younger and more innocent than he is after his seventeen harsh years in this world.

Meanwhile, Betty can feel the nervous sensation of butterflies filling and invading her stomach at the idea of what her husband is saying. Shendoesn't know what to say and she doesn't know what to do to help him in that moment. So, she leans up and presses a long, lingering kiss to his lips, slowly deepening it as they find their familiar rhythm with each other in what provides a pleasant distraction for them both for even just a few moments.

After they pull away, neither Jughead nor Betty say another word about his suspicions, knowing that neither of them can say or do anything to contribute to either FP Jones's innocence or his guilt, nor can they do anything to prove which side their father and father-in-law sways to.

So, they stay like that for the longest time, holding each other and supporting each other as they both try to come to terms with the storm that their little family is enduring from where they are caught in the very middle of it.

Then, in a low voice, Betty speaks up as she nips at her lip. She knows she needs to say something to her husband, she knows she needs to warn him of her decision and she knows that she needs to give him a choice. However, despite her knowledge of this, she doesn't find it any easier to do; especially not in that moment and especially not after the day that she knows that Jughead has had thus far...

She  _hates_  that she has to raise it now, but she knows that there is little time remaining for her to bring it up.

"Juggie?"

His eyes fall down to her softly, signifying his attentiveness to whatever she has to say to him.

"While you were being interviewed, I went on Facebook for a little while to try and distract myself. My entire feed was riddled with people posting tributes about Chuck and the details of his funeral... So, I thought I should let you know that I've decided that I'm going to go."

Instantly, Jughead's face scrunches up into a frown. He cannot believe the words that he's hearing from his wife. He is desperately looking for some clue or indicator that it's all just a joke. Betty  _wanting_  to attend her rapist's funeral feels like it should be all just a sick joke.

"You can't be serious... There's no way that you, me or Emi are going anywhere near that scum's funeral."

"Look, I'm not going to pay my respects. I'm just going for the sake of trying to get a little closure... I have to come to terms with the fact that I'm never going to hear Chuck apologise for what he did to me. I have to accept the fact that I'm never going to see him pay for his actions. I'm  _never_  going to have that closure from him or over what he did to me. So, I'm hoping that this and that going to his funeral will bring me the peace and closure that I need in order to move on."

With Jughead watching her intently and silently, Betty takes a deep breath before reiterating and confirming the point that she had just made to him.

"So, Emi and I are going with or without you. Now, it's entirely up to you if you want to join us or not but  _we_  are going."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? I'd love to know what you're all thinking about anything and everything with the chapter. Is Betty doing the right thing for herself by going to Chuck's funeral? Will Jughead join her and Emi? Unfortunately there's a few things bubbling away in the background that are distancing Bughead. Now there was not too much new information about Chuck's killer beyond Jughead's interrogation, but I'd love to know your suspicions anyway.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who left a comment on the last chapter. You have no idea how much I appreciate the feedback. Thank you!
> 
> Also, just a little update in regards to this story. Currently it's set to have approximately 52 chapters, give or take. However, I am also planning a little off-shoot work set in this universe that I am very, very excited about...
> 
> Next chapter: Betty's flounders as she finds herself in the middle of Chuck's world at his funeral. Then, she has to face his parents.


	43. Blood Ties

**CHAPTER FORTY FOUR: Blood Ties**

As she finishes the final touches in re-dressing Emi after a quick nappy change, Betty tickles her baby's belly, resulting in animated coos bubbling forth from her daughter from where she's laying on the change table.

Ever since a few days ago when Betty had told her husband that she decided she would be attending Chuck's funeral in search of finding even just a little peace and closure, she and Jughead haven't discussed the matter since.

Come the morning of the funeral, Betty herself is all dressed and ready to go, warring with the enormous knot that is forming in the pit of her stomach as she tries to distract herself with playing with her daughter after she finishes changing her.

Unlike every other funeral that she has ever attended, there's no lingering sadness and no somber undertone to her day. Rather, she's just nervous.

She's nervous over how the funeral will go, she's nervous about not knowing whether she's making the right decision by attending or not and she's nervous that she won't be able to bury the heavy weight she carries and the scars she bears  _from_  Chuck along  _with_  him.

Ever since Betty told Jughead that she had decided that she and Emi would be attending the funeral, Betty has been at war with herself over changing her mind and reaffirming her decision to go. She honestly doesn't know what the best thing to do is and she doesn't know what the right thing to do is.

In fact, the every hour since telling Jughead, Betty has changed her mind within herself... One hour she won't be going and by the next she undoubtedly is.

Hearing the door creak open to her daughter's seldom-used nursery, Betty looks behind her to see her husband creeping in sheepishly.

Jughead's presence alone is enough to make Betty smile. However, noting his attire in this present moment is what does it for her this time. Noting his neat, black clothing that he has changed into, it tells her without a word that she and Emi won't have to attend the funeral alone.

Glancing away from Jughead momentarily, Betty quickly slides Emi's other little booty up her bare foot before scooping her daughter up with a kiss to her plump cheek. Slowly, Betty crosses the room to where Jughead is silently lingering in the doorway. Then, as she holds Emi on the side of her body, supporting her with both hands, Betty reduces the space between herself and her husband, reaching up to press a soft, gentle and grateful kiss to his lips. She settles against him comfortably, snuggling into the crook of his neck as he holds his wife, holding their daughter as Jughead feels the tickle of Betty's breath, against his neck.

" _Thank you_."

#

As Jughead and Betty -who is holding their daughter- slowly walk into the funeral parlour, both of them subconsciously feel as though all eyes are on their little family of three as they breath the tense and uncomfortable air surrounding them.

Jughead looks down to the ground as he walks beside Betty who does the opposite, alternating between pressing kisses to the top of her daughter's head and gazing around the room tensely, looking at the crowd of people that she feels like is just watching them. After all, Betty knows better than anyone else that in recent weeks  _she_  had been revealed to be a victim of the guests in the rooms 'dearly departed', carrying his biological child in her arms.

Looking around the room, Betty spots many familiar faces and other Riverdale locals who are there to support the Clayton family, along with many of her classmates. At first glance, she notes that Cheryl, Ethel, Reggie and basically all of the football team are there. However, notably absent are their best friends Veronica and Archie.

Almost as soon as they have stepped through the open double doors, a funeral card is shoved into both Betty and Jughead's hands, bearing the face of the man that Betty knows all too well. They'd scrunch it up and bin it later, away from the family and friends of the Clayton's.

For now, though, as they both briefly read over the small paper, Betty flinches, swallowing uncomfortably as she reads over the card before her stomach plummets from within her nauseatingly.

Meanwhile, the same single word that Betty has seen sends fire and fury pulsing through Jughead's veins. He is  _irate_...

_Charles Jonathan Clayton_

_2000 -_ _2018_

_Loving brother, son, grandson, nephew, and father_

As they both struggle with their overwhelming feelings that come as a result of the funeral card addressing Chuck as a father, along with the roomful of judging faces and staring eyes, Jughead slings a supportive arm around Betty's back as she holds their daughter protectively and they both quickly try to find a seat to sit down and hideaway discreetly among the sea of judgement.

Then, as a familiar face waltzes up to them, never before have Jughead or Betty been so grateful to see Ethel Muggs as she babbles on, pointing them over to a set of seats that are closer towards the back of the room than the front.

"I'm surprised to see you guys here but honestly I wasn't sure whether to come or not either. Do you have a seat already? I have some spare seats on my row over here. Come on over..."

#

After the funeral as people make small talk holding canapés and cups of coffee, Jughead and Betty isolate themselves from their friends, their classmates and every other person who has attended the funeral as the young couple stand in the corner with their daughter, trying to make a quick exit.

However, their plans are foiled as a shaky voice approaches them, catching both Jughead and Betty's attention from where they have been standing and cowering in the corner, away from the other attendees.

"Betty? I heard you were here..."

The voice belongs to Chuck's mother, Alison, who is standing beside the man who is her ex-husband, Chuck's father and Riverdale High School's coach.

Betty can sense the fear that her eyes are emanating as she shifts herself a little closer to her husband's side upon Chuck's parents approaching them. Then, Betty is quick to speak up, attempting to disguise her discomfort over the awkward meeting, along with her fear over whatever they are going to say or do next, knowing that she is not only the woman who has kept their grandchild from their son, but she's also the woman whose best friend had declared that she'd been raped by their deceased son.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Betty says with no empathy whatsoever as every single bit of Alice Cooper training is concentrated on addressing Chuck's parents politely and with a straight face as she swallows her nervousness.

However, with two feeble nods in acknowledgement of Betty's words, it's perfectly clear that neither Chuck's mother or father are paying any attention to what Betty is saying. Rather, both of them are completely focused on the nine-week-old baby who is content in her father's arms, smiling as she gazes up at him with familiarity. Jughead's is one of the first faces that Emi has come to recognise among the flood of people in her world.

"Is this...?"

There's many ways that Mrs. Clayton could finish that sentence. Yet, she doesn't. Instead, she leaves the question mark lingering in the air seeing as each person in that group knows the upshot of what word she may have chosen to use, each one relating back to her son's connection to the baby in Jughead's arms.

"This is Emi" Betty replies, concluding what the other woman had began to say, but on her own terms.

Suddenly, an instantaneous smile erupts on the lips of the grieving mother's face. She looks so overjoyed to see the baby in Jughead's arms, her granddaughter, the baby that bears such a strong resemblance to both her children.

"Hi darling..." Mrs. Clayton coos, briefly extending a hand out to the baby that Jughead is holding and gently rocking. The touch is like a reflex, a movement that she can't contain before she withdraws her hand, only questioning whether she has crossed a line  _after_  her automatic reaction to touch her granddaughter.

"She is absolutely beautiful..."

While both of Chuck's parents can't take their eyes off of Emi, Betty glances up to her husband as he rocks their daughter, the two of them sensing each other's mutual discomfort that they are enduring from the situation and the awkward encounter.

Then, just in case the moment isn't  _already_  uncomfortable enough, when Coach Clayton spots his young daughter across the room, he waves her over to join them.

"Chloe, come over here for a minute!"

Betty's breath hitches as the little nine-year-old girl bounds over to her parents. She sees so much of her own little girl in  _that_  little girl. She can almost picture her own daughter at that age bearing a remarkable resemblance to her aunt, blended with the Cooper-blonde hair that Emi seems to have inherited, along with just a few of Betty's own mannerisms and features.

As she stands by her parents side, sadness is the first and most evident emotion on little Chloe Clayton's face. Yet, at making the connection with the baby in Jughead's arms, Chloe's eyes brighten a little, just as her parents had in the previous minutes.

"Is that Chuck's baby?!"

Betty's stomach churns nauseatingly while Jughead's face grows tense as he feels a pulse of rage flood through him at the four simple words from an innocent girl. However, those few words act as a reminder that the baby in Jughead's arms does not share a single thread of DNA with him.

Glancing over to the young newlyweds, Alison Clayton attempts to avoid the couple from noticing the way that she nods in answer to her daughter's question, doing so as discreetly as possible. However, despite her best efforts that  _still_  aren't enough, Mrs. Clayton's answer to her daughter is only made even more obvious as the oblivious nine-year-old exhales a little gasp of delight, taking a few steps closer to the newborn in Jughead's arms as she very gently takes Emi's hands into her own, stroking them as she speaks to her niece.

With a heavy sigh, Betty's gaze is momentarily stolen away from where she had been maintaining eye contact with Jughead throughout the uncomfortable situation, just in time for her to catch a glimpse of the unlikely joy on the faces of the family that had buried their son and brother today, simply from her daughter's presence. Betty watches on uncomfortably as they all coo over little Emi, knowing all too well that she's looking at her daughter's paternal grandparents and aunt interacting with her.

Then, Betty makes eye contact with Chuck's mother who has just shared a look with her ex-husband.

"Would we be able to talk to the two of you somewhere a little more privately?"

#

As little Chloe races off with another girl her age, her parents lead Jughead, Betty and their daughter to a quiet room, closing the door behind them.

The smallest hairs on Betty's arms prick up fearfully, associating the sensation of being trapped with Clayton's with something far, far more horrific. Jughead senses this, supporting Emi with one hand as he lays a protective hand on his wife's back.

As they move into the room, the grieving parents stand a little over a meter or so away from the younger couple. All four of them have their eyes glued on the beautiful, innocent, baby girl with their mutual care for her being the thing that is bringing them all together.

Then, with a deep breath, Betty speaks up in a quiet voice, uttering the words that surprise everyone, Betty herself included.

"Would you like to hold her?"

With an instantaneous and certain nod, Chuck's mother holds her arms out to take the baby that Jughead begrudgingly hands over after Betty's offer.

As soon as she touches Emi as the baby is handed into her arms, tears begin to fill Chuck's mother's eyes that are deep and brown like Emi's own. Then, as his ex-wife takes their granddaughter into her arms, Coach Clayton takes a few steps closer towards her, standing beside her to watch over and look at Emi, his face softening.

"She's just  _perfect_."

Both of the adults pour all their focus and attention out on the baby in Alison Clayton's arms, fawning over Jughead and Betty's baby who they are forced to admit is the older couples own flesh and blood.

With Emi being held by her paternal grandparents, it leaves Jughead and Betty feeling a little on the outer, like outsiders looking in at the moment. The two of them both feel uncomfortable in the unfamiliar venue that had been used to hold Chuck's funeral, watching on as the middle aged couple savour each second of their moment with their newborn granddaughter.

Then, it's just as Jughead pulls Betty into his own body, holding her a little closer and a little tighter to himself in order for both of them to feel a little comfort from each other when their high school's coach standing opposite seems to be released from their daughter's trance, looking over to them.

"We had been going to pay the two of you a visit... Anyway, we have received an exorbitant amount of life insurance money since our son's passing... We do not need it to live comfortably, nor do we really want it given the reason why we have this money on our hands."

Betty notes the fresh tears prickling Chuck's mother's eyes at the discussion of the son she has lost, shifting Emi just a little closer to herself as if seeking out comfort from the infant.

"We have discussed it, and we would both like for the money to go to Emi."

Jughead and Betty look to each other, exchanging a shell-shocked look as their faces drop and their mouths fall open, trying to process and understand the words that they have just been told.

"We know that you have chosen not to acknowledge Chuck as her father. But, to us, Emi is all we have left of our son. To us, she is still our granddaughter and to us she is his legacy."

Jughead swallows uncomfortably, feeling his blood boil from within him at the name of that despicable man being used in conjunction with the title of 'father' to  _his_  daughter. Meanwhile, Betty is still shell-shocked, standing there still and silent with utter disbelief as she listens to what the Clayton's are telling herself and her husband.

"Now, we request that some of the money be set aside specifically for her education, along with a portion for Emi to access after she turns eighteen. However, the remainder of the money can be spent to cover the costs of child support and raising her and the two of you can decide how you see fit to use that money."

Betty and Jughead nod feebly, continuing to gawk in disbelief as Coach Clayton continues speaking, explaining the terms of the money that Emi is sole beneficiary to.

"While the money is  _intended_  for Emi, understandably she is a part of a family. If you feel you want to spend a portion on being able to afford a family holiday or something like that, then that is up to you. And, if Emi ever has any siblings, it's understandable to buy things evenly, rather than it seeming like she has special treatment. Basically, we just want the money to go towards her having a good life and happy memories,  _however_  the two of you see fit to spend it."

While Emi and Betty had been the Clayton's focus, Betty squeezes her husband's waist from where she's wrapped around him, being held in his arms; wordlessly reminding Jughead just as Coach Clayton has that  _he_  is just as much a part of all of this as Betty herself is.

"I don't know what to say..." Betty begins, looking between both Chuck's father and his mother who is holding her baby and then to Jughead. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Then, just as Betty –along with the occasional remark from Jughead- is uttering her thank you's, reiterating her gratitude, and reassuring the Clayton's that they will use the money in the way that they have specified, she is interrupted by Chuck's mother who presses a brief kiss to the top of Emi's head from where she is nestled within her arms before speaking up, preparing for having to return her granddaughter in the moments that follow.

"Betty, there's one other thing... Before you all leave, would I be able to speak to you alone for just a few moments?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the chapter and the way things unfolded over the interview. Are you glad Jughead went along with Betty and Emi? I'm very interested to see what you all thought of Chuck's parents and their reaction to Emi. I felt like no parents would be glad to have a sudden lump of money on their hands for that reason and them wanting Emi to have the money instead felt right to me.
> 
> Also, I just wanted to say that it was so interesting reading everyone's comments on the last chapter and the idea of Betty attending the funeral. A couple of people apologised for feeling strongly one way or another; don't apologise! The idea of Betty going to the funeral not to pay her respects, but rather with the hope of finding peace and closure was intended to be a grey-area and ethical dilemma. So, thanks to everyone who left their thoughts on that predicament as well as the last chapter. Thank you!
> 
> Fun fact, I tried to do a bit of digging and find out if Chuck's mother has a name... Apparently she does and apparently her name is Alice, too! Who would have thought?! Anyway, it felt a bit odd writing another Alice so I took the liberty of altering it to 'Alison' instead.
> 
> Next chapter: What does Chuck's mother want to discuss with Betty? As she find the peace she's looking for? Then, a lack of communication begins to distance Jughead and Betty from each other.


	44. Tightening Knots

**CHAPTER FORTY FOUR: Tightening Knots**

Upon Chuck's mother Alison summoning Betty, and Betty  _alone_ , Jughead had tried to silently ensure that she was okay and that she comfortable with the situation, preparing to intervene and come up with some excuse if need be. However, after a few silent looks are exchanged between the couple, he succumbed, announcing that he would wait right outside the room to settle Emi and attempt to put her to sleep in his arms. Meanwhile, Chuck's father left too, to check on his own daughter's whereabouts.

Then, after the door of the room that is away from all the other guests and all the noise of the funeral's wake is closed, Chuck's mother looks to Betty seriously and intently from where they have both moved to take seats at the small lounge area and coffee table in the room.

"I want to speak to you about yourself and Chuck..."

All of a sudden, Betty wishes that she  _hadn't_  followed Chuck's mother out of that room, away from her husband and daughter.

"I know what-" the grieving mother trembles, overcome with tears and grief as she struggles to find the strength to say the difficult words. "I know what you said Chuck did... What he did to you."

For the briefest moment, there's a flicker of shame in Betty over what she cannot be held accountable for, nor should she feel even a smidgen of guilt regarding. However, her eyes still fall, looking down to the ground and her head follows suit, studying the pair of secondhand heels Veronica had given her which she'd worn to the funeral.

Then, with a sniffle and a sigh, Betty eventually speaks up in a low, trembling voice.

"I understand that it can't be easy for you and your family to be hearing that about him, Mrs. Clayton... I wish that it wasn't true. I really, really wish that I could tell you that it's just a rumor and it's not the truth of the matter, but I can't do that. I wouldn't accuse  _anyone_  of doing something as horrific as that if it was not true; not Chuck, not anyone."

For a long, long time, Alison nods idly while the rest of her body seems frozen in place. She looks beyond Betty, looking away distantly for what feels like the longest time, so much so that Betty contemplates slowly walking away and leaving the room, giving Chuck's mother time and solitude if that's what she so needs in that moment.

Then, just as Betty is about to begin taking the few, slow steps towards the door, the grieving mother takes a deep breath, beginning to speak up softly.

"I knew that something changed in him... I had no idea that it was as terrible as it was, but I knew that there was  _something_."

Betty nods softly and silently as she watches the other woman intently as she continues to speak up and explain.

"He would snap at his sister... He didn't want to talk about anything... He pushed me and his father away... We thought it was just a phase, but he changed."

There is another long, drawn out silence as Betty stands there uncomfortably, unsure of exactly what to do as the woman across the room from her is overcome with fresh tears and emotion after uttering the trigger word of 'change'. However, Betty stays there and she lingers on her spot, feeling like it's not quite her time to leave just yet.

Then, taking another deep breath in an attempt to calm herself and to draw the strength to continue to speak, Chuck's mother continues to explain a little more about her son.

"There's absolutely no excuse for that. Not for my son, not for anyone. Now, I know that this does not change what happened and I know that it's no excuse for Chuck's actions. I just want you to know the whole story. It's no excuse."

Alison pauses for an extended moment, inhaling a big, deep breath as she prepares to divulge her private family matters to the girl who deserves to know more about her sons past than anyone else.

"Chuck's father and I divorced a few years ago. He was unfaithful to me. Chuck was the first one to find out about his father's affair. It crushed him... He was eleven at the time and he believed his father –we both did- when he begged for both mine and Chuck's forgiveness. He believed that his father would change and he believed it would never happen again. Then, it would have been about six months later when the second affair came out, breaking him even more. After that, after his father broke his promise to me, to him, to us and to our family, it was like Chuck was hurt so badly that a part of him switched off and desensitized. That was when I first saw the change in him..."

In between the pauses, it's typically been Chuck's mother who takes the deep breaths to calm herself and soothe her tumultuous feelings. Yet, this time, it's Betty who does so upon seeing another side of the monster that she knew, learning that Chuck had his own demons, too. She's not even sure if she's ready to hear it.

"His father and I divorced after the second time" Chuck's mother begins with as she continues to explain to the younger girl. "I blame myself after the divorce because I don't know if there's more I could have done for Chuck, more that I could have done to be there for him... I was hurting, I was trying to protect his little sister from the impact of the divorce because she was so young, and even though I thought I was doing the right thing at the time, I don't know if there's more that I could have done for Chuck... I don't know if I could have given more attention to him and to how he was coping and I'll never forgive myself for that."

Another long pause follows Alison's words as she struggles with her guilt, forced to reconsider the painful question of whether there  _was_  more she could have done in the pause in the conversation.

"Over time, I realised the impact of some of the things he'd been doing, the games he'd been playing and the things he'd been watching and that they were far more lewd and derogatory than what I had first realised. Then, I started to see it reflected more and more in his behaviour and the little things he'd do or say. I didn't like the person that my son was slowly changing into and I had no idea how deeply entrenched the change within him was..."

The pause is a little shorter and briefer this time before Chuck's mother continues speaking and explaining, concluding her speech with growing difficulty.

"Again, I know that this is no excuse whatsoever, but I hope that it might just bring you a little peace or understanding or  _something_  because I-"

Alison pauses and her emotion grows as she struggles to remain composed when she looks over to the mother of her grandchild vulnerably.

"I believe you, Betty."

As Chuck's mother confesses to siding with Betty, she begins to crumble, being overcome with tears. It's as though she realises that by divulging the fact that she believes Betty, she is forced to admit the ugly truth about her son. It's like a see-saw and as Alison's honest words tip her in one direction, it furthers her distance from the other side, Chuck's side, increasing the stark indifference to the other half of the story, just like a see-saw.

"I am so, so sorry for what Chuck did, Betty. I am so terribly sorry that I raised a son who was capable of doing that and that he did that to you. I am so sorry for all of the grief and the pain that has been brought upon you. I don't understand it, I don't know if it's just some chemical imbalance that made him think that what he did was acceptable or I don't know if there was more that I could have done... I am just so sorry if there was anything more that I could have done and I didn't."

While Chuck's mother may admit that she's on Betty's side of the see-saw, it's too much for her to be able to utter the one word, six-letter title that fits her son, in order to acknowledge the truth.

"But, I hope that you can understand that while I believe that you aren't lying and while I'm not meaning to minimise what happened to you, but as a mother, I don't want to remember my son for hurting you. That's not the way I want to be reminded of my boy..."

Betty can't bring herself to do anything as she watches the tears stream down the dark cheeks of the woman standing across the room from her who looks so drawn and emotionally overwhelmed.

Then, after a few minutes, Betty readies herself to leave the room once again before something stops her as she utters the words that have been lingering in the back of her mind all day.

"Mrs. Clayton? My husband and I may not have wanted Chuck to have any part in Emi's life, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be able to... Now, it's going to take a lot of time for me to be able to learn to trust you all, but just like me and  _my_  family shouldn't have had to, you and  _your_  family shouldn't suffer from the results of Chuck's choices and his mistakes too. So, maybe, every now and then, perhaps a few times a year, you, Chloe and your ex-husband might be able to spend a little time with Emi, if you want."

As soon as the words and the offer are out of Betty's mouth, she quickly stalls upon realising that she has just made a big decision about their daughter and their family on her and Jughead's behalf, with absolutely  _no_  consultation with him over the matter.

So, knowing that it's too late to take her words back, Betty quickly tries to reaffirm her husband's role in their family after forgetting that two halves go into her marriage. For the briefest moment, she had fallen back into the habit of so many years of making decisions for herself, as opposed to the few short months of having to make decisions as a wife and mother.

"Now, the proviso is that you accept that Emi will be raised knowing Jughead to be her father. Right now, my husband and I are just taking raising Emi one day at a time and we're trying to work things out for ourselves. I don't know how much we'll be forced to tell Emi as time goes on but I want to keep what she knows as minimal as possible for as long as possible. Because, even though the truth is out, I want to protect my daughter from knowing the truth about the way that she was conceived. So, although I know that your family sees Emi as your granddaughter and your niece and while I acknowledge that your family has biological ties to Emi, I choose not to recognise it as familial. I will allow you to be a part of her life as  _friends_. I'm sorry if this is hard for you to hear, but Chuck is not and was not Emi's father. However, Jughead  _is_  so his family is her family. "

Chuck's mother looks straight at Betty, nodding slowly and silently for a few moments as she sniffles, fighting off the tears in her eyes as the smallest of smiles spreads across her full lips.

"I understand. Thank you. Thank you for showing my family and I such kindness and mercy. It will be our privilege and we will be grateful to have any role in little Emi's life that you and your husband will permit.  _Thank you_... You are an incredibly graceful young woman, Betty, and I wish you and your family all the best."

#

After the funeral, Betty and Jughead returned home as fast as they could get away from the Clayton's. Then, after arriving home to the Coopers, they managed to dodge a furious Alice's lecture over attending Chuck Clayton's funeral with the excuse that they needed to put Emi down for a long-overdue sleep, seeing as she hadn't slept for the entirety of the outing.

Once Betty had fed and settled Emi, putting her down for her nap, she left her bedroom with her baby monitor in-hand to try and find Jughead. As she settled their daughter, he had gone downstairs to make them both milkshakes once the coast was clear and the kitchen was free from his seething mother-in-law.

After Betty joined him in the kitchen, the two young newlyweds then took their milkshakes out onto the back patio where they are now sitting slouched and sprawled out on the outdoor setting. They both have their feet kicked up onto a nearby stool with his free arm wrapped around her, holding her close as she remains nestled into and settled against his chest.

Attending Chuck's funeral had made for one of the most tense and uncomfortable moments of both Jughead and Betty's lives. So, by the time that they arrived home, they both felt heavy and weighed down, finding themselves crashing into each other's comfort as soon as their daughter had settled.

As they both sit there, holding each other in silence, Jughead is caught up in his own disquieting thoughts, leaving him torn. After all, all day and throughout the entire funeral service that had commemorated his life, Jughead has been stewing over his absolute hatred for the dearly departed, feeling it fester from deep within him.

Yet, there's one little thought in the back of his mind that he can't stop himself from being reminded of each time that he ponders his hatred for Chuck Clayton...

After all, for his absolute disdain of the man, Jughead can't deny the fact that his daughter whom he loves with all of his heart -as if she were his own- wouldn't exist without him. He just can't make sense of the closeness of the lines blurring intense hatred with the feeling of such wholehearted love.

Meanwhile, from beside him and with one arm slung across Jughead's abdomen as she holds the milkshake that he had made her with the other, Betty exhales a heavy sigh, realising that she needs to come clean over what she had told Chuck's mother a little earlier in the day,  _without_  discussing it with him first.

"Juggie?" Betty says in a soft voice that already exposes her vulnerabilities over what she is about to tell her husband.

He looks down at the blonde, showing her that she has his full attention and prompting her to continue speaking as her arm that had been slung across his abdomen shifts to a hand resting on his chest.

"I'm sorry, Jug, but I told Alison that the Clayton's are allowed to see Emi if they want... I'm really, really sorry I didn't talk to you about it first. But, Chuck's mum was so emotional and she'd just explained a few things to me and I realised that they shouldn't be punished and have to lose out on knowing Emi because of Chuck's actions. Even though I told her that we don't see it that way, I figured that technically they're Emi's family, too."

"She  _has_  a family. We're her parents; she has your parents, my dad... She  _has_  family. Can we even trust them with her?!"

A small part of Jughead acknowledges that he is feeling selfish and wanting to withhold his daughter's biological family from her for his own reasons, knowing that he and  _his_  family are standing in place of  _theirs_  as he continues to speak.

"You should have spoken to me about this, Betty. This is  _our_  family and Emi is  _my_  daughter, too. I should have been consulted and made a part of that decision before you went and offered to oust my family out of the way for her  _real_  family."

"Don't talk like that, Jughead... I know I should have spoken to you about it first and I'm sorry for that, but you  _are_  her real family. You and FP are far more important in Emi's life than the Clayton's could ever be. Blood ties don't change anything."

Jughead doesn't respond, sulking silently as he looks away from his wife, crossing his arms and shuffling away from her on the outdoor setting they're sharing childishly, showing her exactly what he thinks of what she has just told him without saying a word.

Meanwhile, as her husband grows silent, Betty glances away with a sigh, shuffling away from him just a little in return as she grabs the baby monitor and ensures that the volume is turned up to alert them if their daughter wakes up.

As the two of them stay like this with the silence dividing them, both of them are  _completely_  unaware of what is just around the corner and what is about to distance them even further from each other...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was an absolute headache. FanFiction was playing up for me when I was trying to proofread the latest chapters of both my stories, but in addition to that, I honestly don't know how many times I've rewritten this chapter and I'm still not 100% happy with it, hence why it's up a little later than I normally update this story. Honestly, everything about this chapter was tough from trying to portray the mother of a rapist, the chapter originally having a very different (dare I say, worse) ending between Betty and Jug and then having a nightmare time of finalising and proofreading it.
> 
> Anyway, thank you to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. I always appreciate the support from each and every one of you.
> 
> Also, be sure to follow my tumblr page 'riverheadcf'. From here on, I am going to endeavour to post some kind of preview for the new chapters of both my stories; be it a small excerpt, one line of dialogue or an extended 'next chapter' preview of sorts.
> 
> Next chapter: Sheriff Keller's murder investigation focuses in on the Cooper family as they -along with Jughead- take decisive action to clear themselves.


	45. Until Proven Guilty

**CHAPTER FORTY FIVE: Until Proven Guilty**

After the funeral, the Cooper-Jones family had all met with the Coopers lawyer once again. Each of them had sought legal advice and guidance in the midst of the murder investigation, knowing that that they  _all_  have a strong motive to have committed the crime, with their alibis being little better than completely pathetic.

However, after the meeting, Alice Cooper felt as though that was not enough, taking matters into her own hands.  _That_  is what brings herself, her youngest daughter, her son-in-law and her husband who is rocking their granddaughter in his arms gathered together, each of them standing around the island bench in the kitchen as Alice circles her family like a shark.

"Okay, now before we begin, there is just one detail that all of us need to know for sure and be damn certain of about each other in order to have the confidence to pull this off...  _Whatever_  the answer to this question is stays between us and stays in this room. The four of us are in this together. Are we clear?"

With her hands laid out on the bench, her eyes swoop from person to person as her gaze is cast around the island bench.

"Elizabeth. Did you or did you not murder Chuck?"

"Of course I didn't. I was dead to the world and fast asleep that night."

Alice waves a dismissive hand in her youngest daughter's direction.

"I'm _not_  Sheriff-Incompetent. I don't need your excuses and your alibis. I just need a clear yes or no answer to that question."

"Well it's still a no" Betty retorts firmly, feeling her shoulder being squeezed by her husband from where Jughead is standing by her side.

Alice nods at her daughter's response before her gaze turns to her husband who is rocking little Emi against his chest. The little newborn's deep brown eyes are slowly fluttering closed as she settles within her grandfather's arms.

"Hal. Did you or did you not murder Chuck?"

"God, I wish I'd had the honour... It wasn't me."

Once again, Alice circles the group that are standing around the bench before speaking up and saying the words that are subtly intended for her son-in-law.

"Now, remember that whatever your answer may be, that answer will stay between us"

Jughead rolls his eyes given the timing of his mother-in-law's 'reminder', seeing as she is asking him the exact same question that she had posed to both her husband and daughter just moments earlier.

"So, Jug-head... Did you or did you not murder Chuck?"

"No I didn't" Jughead states succinctly, looking Alice Cooper straight in the eye as he answers her question.

She intensifies her gaze on him for just a moment, as if confirming that she sees no suspicion in his eyes. Then, he seems to pass the test as she just nods her head and finds a place at the bench, pressing her hands face down in front of her once again.

"Now, lastly, I will confirm to you all that I did not murder Chuck either. In fact, apart from clearing ourselves from the suspect list, a part of the reason that I want to get to the bottom of this is so that I know who I can send my  _thank you_  card to."

As Alice looks around the room, looking between her family, she pauses for a moment and no one dares to say a single word. However, Jughead can't hide his smirk, Betty her gawk and Hal his chuckle at Alice's remark before her voice thunders around the room once again.

"Good, now that that is out of the way and we are all clear on everyone's innocence after our professions, let's move on."

Before they all 'move on', Betty and Jughead's attention is momentarily caught by their daughter as she makes a noise -something akin to a little babyish moan- from within her grandfather's arms. Both parents watch on, ensuring that no more movements or noises follow after the initial one. However, it's proven to just be a false alarm as Emi settles against Hal's shoulder once again within moments.

By the time that Jughead and Betty return their focus to Alice, she has pulled up a stool and retrieved a notepad and pen almost out from thin air as she sets to work with the usual ferocity and focus that she brings to her every task.

"Okay. Now, none of us have water-tight alibis. They aren't anywhere near strong enough for a murder investigation... Hal and Betty being fast asleep, me reading and Jughead getting up to Emi a couple of times during the night isn't quite enough. We need something solid, but believable... We need to stick to the truth, but just solidify things a little more than that. We need to find a way to be each other's alibis..."

There's a long, outdrawn pause that lingers in the Cooper family's kitchen. Then, all of a sudden, Alice lights up, radiating confidence as she puts her idea to her family as more of a plan-of-attack than a proposal.

"Jughead and Elizabeth, the two of you were having intercourse."

Jughead's face scrunches up as he winces, while Betty's eyes widen at her mother's blunt announcement.

" _What_?" Alice shrugs with confusion. "You're newlyweds. Besides, it's not that far from the truth... It's just an extension of it, really. We'll just be just stealing an idea from other nights. It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul!"

Jughead and Betty share a horrified glance. He will suggest them fleeing the country to her a little later on tonight.

"So, because of the noise factor, Hal and I were wide awake, talking, to try and drown out the sound. That works... It corroborates the fact that none of us left the house, but that we are all able to verify alibis for each other in what's not unreasonable for an ordinary evening."

There's no resounding agreement and flood of enthusiasm for Alice's plan that she's pushing onto her family. However, the lack of acknowledgement from the others doesn't faze the strong-willed woman who just continues speaking and elaborating on her initial plan.

"Then, for bonus points, Hal and I can confirm that we're sure we didn't hear movement from the door or anyone coming and going throughout the night seeing as it's right by our bedroom."

Once again, there's a long, lasting silence. Betty and Jughead look to each other as Hal looks down to his granddaughter who he is rocking in his arms. They are all thinking through the plan of attack and suggestion to embellish the truth with the aim of reducing the suspicion cast on each of them in Sheriff Keller's biased murder investigation.

Then, after a good few minutes of thoughtful silence, Jughead is the first one to speak up, doing so begrudgingly as he looks between his wife and her mother.

"I guess it works... It's worth a shot to try and clear ourselves all at the same time."

#

Sheriff Keller is feeling the heat from the murder investigation that is going nowhere fast.

He goes over what he already knows, what he's been trying to learn and what people might be intentionally hiding from him.

Thus far, nothing quite adds up and nothing quite leads to any clear conclusions. The total lack of solid evidence doesn't help matters, either.

After all, what explains the numerous set of footprints in the area surrounding where Chuck's body had been found, just a little off the usual walking track?

Not to mention, the murder weapon had been nowhere to be found when the area was searched.

However, while there is a shortage of solid evidence, two things that there are no shortage of is people with motive and the abundance of unanswered questions...

So, feeling the pressure from his superiors, the small town sheriff has been living and breathing the information that he already knows, as well as casting his net a little further and wider. He has done so by releasing a call out for information, urging anyone who knows anything to come forward.

Consequently, in intensifying the investigation, all members of a certain Riverdale family were all hauled in for questioning...

#

Sitting in the interview room, Betty fumbles with her sweater sleeve. As she waits for the interview to begin, her mind is outside of the room, thinking about whoever is with her daughter that she wishes she could be holding and absorbing comfort from in that moment.

Sheriff Keller begins with asking her to repeat her name and a few other details for the record before the interview begins with the first question regarding her whereabouts.

"So, Mrs. Jones, where were you between the hours of nine PM on the third of January to five AM the following morning?"

Betty has to suppress a little grin at the question. She's still getting used to her married name and hearing it from the Sheriff sounding so official still takes a little time to get used to.

"I was at home with my family. My parents were downstairs while I was upstairs with my husband and daughter."

The Sheriff nods, detailing the young girl's alibi with a nod before posing the next, standard question to her.

"Did you leave the house at all that night?"

Betty is quick to answer seeing as it's one of the answers that is completely truthful among the ones that she knows will have to be tainted with little white lies to match her family's story.

"No... I returned home at maybe six o'clock earlier that day and I didn't leave the house again until late morning the following day."

"Can anyone verify that?" Sheriff Keller asks as his eyes squint.

"Yes, my husband and my parents can. None of us left the house until my parents went to work as normal the following morning."

There's a nod and an elongated silence in what Betty doesn't realise at the time marks a shift in the conversation and the path of questioning until the sheriff speaks up once again.

"Now, I know that you have a history with the victim."

When Betty hears the latest question, she finds it hard to stomach the wording of it. So, when Betty winces uncomfortably and shifts in her seat, it's something that Sheriff Keller seems to note on his paper in front of him. However, she remains silent and it seems that apparently the sheriff hadn't been expecting a response from her as he continues speaking with another statement.

"Now, on your daughter Emilie's birth certificate, Forsythe Jones is named as her father."

This statement, however,  _does_  elicit a response from Betty as she speaks up confidently, confirming the Sheriff's statement.

"That's right. He is her father."

There's an expression on Sheriff Keller's face that Betty can't quite read. However, as he speaks up, Betty realises that he had  _definitely_  been expecting her answer, leading him into what he says next.

"Yet, just over a day before he passed away, the victim filed a paternity suit against yourself and your husband, naming himself as your daughter's biological father..."

Betty swallows heavily. While she hates thinking this way, a part of her  _is_  relieved that Chuck is gone, eradicating her fears over him trying to have any part in her daughter's life in the process. Being reminded of his intentions to seek custody, Betty feels an enormous sense of relief knowing that she doesn't have to worry about that threat and any chance of Chuck going after Emi ever again.

Several moments pass by after Sheriff Keller's question and Betty remains absolutely silent, ignoring his raised eyebrow that's waiting for her to speak up and respond to his insinuation.

"Is there anything that you would like to say about that?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know if it was a question or a statement. But,  _no_ , there's nothing I'd like to say in response to that."

Betty  _isn't_  sorry and she knew perfectly well that it was a question all along.

So, Sheriff Keller nods in an expression of 'very well then' as he continues speaking, changing course of the conversation just a little.

"Look, I imagine that you're a good mother, Mrs. Jones. I imagine it must have been upsetting for you to be told of the victim filing the paternity suit with the intention of shared custody of your daughter..."

"It  _was_  upsetting, but my husband and I felt confident that we would win against him, fair and square, in court so that has no relevance to or bearing on Chuck's death. Besides, I wouldn't do anything to risk not being there to raise my little girl."

At Betty's wording, Sheriff Keller's eyes fly upwards in the direction of the young girl sitting across from him.

"Do I take that as you saying that you wouldn't let anything or  _anyone_  stand in the way of you raising your daughter? So, exactly how far would you go?"

"No, do  _not_  take it like that... I mean that the risk of being caught for murder and losing out on being there for my daughter is not worth the risk itself."

Sheriff Keller nods, taking something down on his paper before looking up at Betty once again.

This time, as he looks up, he looks directly at her for far longer than he speaks, leaving Betty feeling like she's being examined in the silence.

Then, the prickly sheriff's face and eyes soften as he takes a deep breath before looking to the young woman sitting across from him, as if he is trying to level with her in order to hear the truth. He's imploring her to speak freely over what he is about to ask.

"Mrs. Jones...  _Betty_... I've heard about what other claims came out around the same time as the paternity suit. Is there anything that you would like to report about the victim? While rare, you may have a chance for a posthumous trial if it will have a bearing on  _this_  investigation... So, I'll ask again, is there anything that  _you_  want to report?"

As Sheriff Keller looks her dead in the eye, Betty senses a smidgen of empathy and feeling in the older man as they sit there in silence. However, with a deep breath, Betty shakes it off and shakes her head.

"No... No, I don't want to report anything. Besides, as I said, I was at home for the entire night, I did not murder Chuck."

Sheriff Keller pauses momentarily. It's as if he's giving the teenager in front of him the opportunity to change her mind and consider what she's saying before her answer is locked in.  _She doesn't_.

Then, the small town sheriff looks down to his papers once again before returning to look at the young woman sitting across from him. He makes by making a simple remark before proceeding with the remaining questions that are to follow.

"Very well then..."

#

Alice Cooper is equally fierce as she is frank in her interview. To convey just how at ease she feels, she keeps her unimpressed pout intact, a single eyebrow is raised and her arms remain crossed confidently in front of her as she leans back in the chair to a degree that she would tell her daughter's over off for slouching.

"Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Cooper."

As Sheriff Keller makes his way through his ream of questions with his reel of suspects, Alice's interview begins with a set of questions that are almost identical to her daughter's ones.

"Now, where were you between the hours of nine PM on the third of January to five AM the following day?"

"I was at home, with all three locks on the door dead bolted. I made a hot chocolate for my daughter and son-in-law after they put my granddaughter to sleep around nine thirty that night. Then, by ten that night, my husband and I were in bed. I was reading 'War and Peace' and Hal was hoping to have an early night but neither of us could sleep, thanks to the audible recreational activities from the newlyweds upstairs."

Sheriff Keller opens his mouth to begin to speak, but the fiery mother and grandmother gets in first, jumping in and speaking up before he has a chance to as she just about takes control of the interview.

"Now, before you ask me,  _yes_  I can confirm that everyone was home that night. As I said, my husband was right there in the room with me and I was  _well_  aware of my daughter and son-in-law's presence upstairs. Like I said, they  _are_  newlyweds..."

There's a slight smirk that ripples across Sheriff Keller's face and lips before he speaks up in response to Alice's interview that she had taken control and snatched up the reins of.

"Funny, when I spoke to your son-in-law, he insisted that he and your daughter had an early night too."

The sheriff's comment from his initial interview with Jughead almost a week ago set Alice off kilter for just a mere moment before she is back on track, continuing on uninterrupted and undeterred.

"Come on, Sheriff... You and I both know that we're more advanced in years than our children are. An early night for  _them_  differs from an early night for  _us_."

Sheriff Keller ignores Alice's remark as he returns to the questions that  _he_  is dictating, rather than letting her off the leash to take the bone and run with it again.

"Did you leave the house at all that night, Mrs. Cooper?"

"No. And what's more so,  _no one_  else left the house that night before my husband and I left for work as usual the following morning. You see, from our bedroom, you can hear any movement and you can hear if the door is being opened. That's something that came in handy with my eldest daughter when she'd try sneaking out, you see."

Alice notes the slight smirk on the sheriff's face. This makes her own eyes wince questioningly at the reason behind his expression as he responds with a simple, "Is that so?" before continuing on with his interview questions.

"Convenient alibis, don't you think?  _Especially_  considering that the four of you are all prime suspects with far more motive than anyone else in the town to want the victim dead. The four of you could have banded to pull it off and then cover each other. Good idea, wouldn't you say?"

Sitting across from the small town sheriff, Alice Cooper tightens her crossed arms that little bit more as a smirk riddles her own lips. She doesn't take her eyes off Sheriff Keller as she moves a little closer in her seat, oozing confidence.

"Not at all... It was just an average night for my family" she says, speaking and enunciating her words slowly and clearly.

The mother and grandmother pauses from her response for just a moment. Then, she sends another smirk to the Sheriff as she speaks up again.

" _Besides_ , I am very well versed on how to exact revenge on people while remaining on the right side of the Law..."

#

Unlike his wife, Hal's interview is predominantly short and concise as he states his answers succinctly, remaining passive, except for the moments when the sheriff hits a nerve or touches a sensitive spot and he rears up with a little more confidence and ferocity.

He makes his way through the routine questions that each member of the Cooper-Jones family had been asked and he uncomfortably verifies the story that Alice elaborated on in far greater detail to provide an alibi for all four of the effortlessly.

However, when Sheriff Keller's questioning changes from the facts and the victim, shifting to his daughter and the paternity suit involving his granddaughter, Hal turns over a new leaf in answering.

"So I've heard that your daughter did not get on well with the victim..."

As Sheriff Keller trails off suggestively, Hal's nostrils begin to flare angrily as he works to maintain his composure at the change of the direction in the interview.

"I would have thought that would be enough to outrage any father, don't you think? Hearing your next-door-neighbour say that your daughter, your little girl, was raped would be enough to want someone dead, wouldn't you say?"

Hal is growing red and steam begins to pour out from his angry ears as he clenches his fists tightly and fights a losing battle against his snarl.

" _Of course_  I wanted the bastard dead. He hurt my daughter. I won't lie, I wish I could have had the pleasure of offing him, but it was not me. I was at home, with my family for the entire night."

#

As Sheriff Keller goes over the same questions that he had asked Jughead during his first interview as well as his wife and in-laws, he scours for any differences and any holes in the story.

However as the small town sheriff sits there, listening to each detail of the young man's recount, this time the older man knows that he has information up his sleeve and details that leverage him against the prime suspect of the murder investigation.

"Don't drag your family down, Mr. Jones."

From his slouched position, Jughead looks up to the sheriff who is sitting across the table from him, glancing over to him with confusion.

"I have just sat through interviews with your wife, your mother-in-law and your father-in-law. They are all insistent that you were all home together and that no one left the house... So, I'll warn you, if they are providing a false statement just to save your skin, they're all putting their heads on the chopping block."

"They're  _not_... Each of them is just relaying the truth of their night."

Sheriff Keller raises a suspicious eyebrow at Jughead, along with a shrug and obnoxiously confident smirk.

"I'll tell you this much... Things aren't looking good for you. If I were you, I'd just confess before you make things any harder on yourself..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Evidence has come to light contrary to what each one of you has just stated..."

The smirk doesn't leave Sheriff Keller's face as he thumbs through the folder that he has been holding throughout each interview to write fresh notes on each of his interviewees. However, this time he pulls a grainy, A4 page of paper out from his folder, turning it to face Jughead as he slides it across the table towards him.

"Is this you, Mr. Jones?"

Jughead looks at the photo that captures the shoulders and above of the dark haired man. Rather than from bird's eye view, the shot is almost taken at eye level. Unfortunately, Jughead knows all too well that he doesn't have to look any further than the mirror to see the man in the photo. It's his beanie. It's the Jones nose. He's wearing his same Sherpa jacket that he's wearing as he sits there in the interview room.

"I guess so, it could be... It's a pretty lousy photo though."

Sheriff Keller can barely hide the smirk on his face as he turns the photo back around to himself.

"Well, this photo was taken at 11:24 PM on the night before the victim was murdered in the early hours of the following day. Based on the location where this footage was taken, you are about half a mile away from Eversgreen Forest, where the victim's body was found the following morning. Now, isn't interesting how you're seen here strolling around late that night when according to your family, you were in bed..."

Jughead's heart is pounding heavy and fast from deep within him and his skin is growing moist and clammy as he tries to recover from the photo that had just been put in front of him. He fears not only for himself, but now for his wife and his in-laws at what he has just implicated them all in.

"Look, none of them lied. None of them left the house; none of them knew that I  _did_."

"Is that a confession, Forsythe?"

"No, no! Yes, I left the house, but I can explain. I did not kill Chuck. I didn't go anywhere  _near_  him."

Jughead's words become sloppier and less thought out as he begins to panic, spewing words out as he clings to his innocence while his heart-rate skyrockets.

"But wouldn't you  _want_  to exact revenge on the man who has been accused of raping your wife? I can't imagine how strongly you would have felt towards him knowing that; knowing that he hurt your wife like that... Now, that was the same man who was contesting the paternity of your daughter, threatening to divide your family, just days before he died... You have a stronger motive than almost anyone else and you were seen around the area on the night he died... I'll remind you that confessing now is the best thing that you can do for yourself. "

"But I  _didn't_  do it! Look, I can explain!"

Jughead is yelling now. If he weren't under the pressure of one single detail being the difference between him walking free and being arrested, he would know better than to overreact and appear to be crumbling under the pressure.

"You are in a whole world of trouble, Mr. Jones..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what's the story?! What was Jughead doing out on the night of Chuck's death? And, why hasn't he said anything about it to anyone before now? Be sure to let me know what you think and what you thought of the chapter. At this point, who are you suspicious of?
> 
> Next chapter: This new piece of evidence creates a divide between Betty and Jughead with devastating results on their marriage. Then, both new information and a new suspect are pulled into the investigation.


	46. Trust Me

**CHAPTER FORTY SIX: Trust Me**

After their interviews, the four adults were freed and permitted to leave. Jughead and Betty along with her parents didn't waste a moment in hot-footing it out of that station.

While Jughead had thought (and feared) that he'd have to spend the night in a cell, fortunately it seemed that while he was skating on thin ice, there isn't quite enough to charge him just yet.

Throughout the entire drive home from the station, Betty sat in the backseat of her family's car with her arms tightly crossed. Looking out the car window, she's looking out on the small town silently as she makes it perfectly clear that she's fuming and avoiding her husband as a result.

When the Cooper-Joneses finally arrive home, Alice offers to take Emi from the baby-carrier that is placed between Betty and Jughead in the backseat and watch her for a while, sensing the fracture between the young newlyweds.

Jughead thanks his mother-in-law for her offer while Betty remains silent, stepping out of the car as soon as they are parked on the driveway of her family's home. Betty then blazes into her home, barely waiting for the door to be unlocked before she bursts through the door and straight for her bedroom as the others trail in after her.

By the time that Jughead enters their bedroom following after Betty, she is on the other side of the room, pacing around with her arms still firmly crossed to match her furrowed brows. Then, as soon as he shuts the door behind him, it's open slather, and he speaks up almost instantly.

"Look, I can explain..."

While Betty  _does_  want to hear what he has to say, she just rolls her eyes and keeps her arms crossed as she paces around, her anger blazing within her. After all, she doesn't know what he could  _possibly_  have to say or how he could even begin to explain the fact that Sheriff Keller had revealed that he'd been caught on CCTV cameras, showing him walking around in town on the night of Chuck's murder; the night that Jughead had sworn to the police, to the Coopers and to Betty herself that he had been home.

Silence follows Jughead's statement. So, he glances over to his wife, trying to read her expression and determine whether he should continue speaking and explaining or whether he should allow the silence to remain. Making a quick decision, he decides to speak up while he has the chance to explain.

"I took Emi for a walk that night... She'd had her immunisations that day and she was really grizzly and unsettled. You slept straight through it. The usual things that tend to settle her weren't working, you were exhausted and I wanted to avoid waking you. So, I took her for a walk around the block and back...  _That's_  why I was out on the night of the murder."

With her eyebrows still furrowed and her expression remaining angry, Betty glances over to Jughead, studying his earnest expression for a few moments before asking the question that's on her mind.

"Why didn't you just say that then? Why didn't you tell Sheriff Keller the truth all along if it was as simple as that?"

"I didn't make the connection between that night and Chuck's murder at first... It was only when I was partway through being interviewed the first time when it occured me that it was the same night. Because, like I told Sheriff Keller, the sleepless nights all blur together; you know that. So, after I realised that, I had to decide whether or not to say anything partway through the interview. I knew how suspicious it would sound if I said that I just so happened to be walking around the block just before Chuck's time or death. Plus, Emi can't exactly support my alibi, verify that she was with me and confirm that all we did was walk around the block and then return home. So,  _not_  admitting that I was out of the house was a risk, but it was a risk worth taking. However, I knew that by admitting that I  _did_  leave the house it would only incriminate me."

Betty exhales a deep sigh, turning her gaze from him, to down to the floor. Then, she spends a few minutes pacing, thinking through everything that he's just told her. She believes him... But, that still doesn't explain another factor that's weighing on Betty.

"Well, if that's the case, then why didn't you tell me, Jug?"

"If I told you, I didn't want you to have to keep that quiet if you were asked but knew better. I didn't want you to have to lie for me, Betts."

Betty's striking emerald green eyes pierce his blue ones from across the room as she looks at him, desperate for the answer to her question.

"So, you lied  _to_  me, instead?!"

Jughead shoots her a pained, apologetic glance across the room, as he realises that he can't refute the words she's saying. They both know that she's right.

In the silence, Jughead fails to speak up, failing to both admit to or refute what Betty has just stated. So, she simply nods, her eyes pricking with tears, as her arms remain tightly crossed. Her anger is replaced with hurt as she speaks up.

"You let my mum and my dad put their neck on the line for you by going along with that story to give everyone stronger alibis while you were keeping  _that_  from us all along?! You let  _me_  go along with everything while you knew better?!"

"It wasn't like that!" Jughead objects as he holds a hand out in front of himself for added emphasis. "Like I said to Sheriff Keller, you all said what you knew to be true. You were all asleep when I left the house to take Emi for the walk. None of you lied, only I did."

Betty is quick to respond to Jughead, snapping as she speaks up.

"We  _all_  lied, Jughead! We all lied about our alibis to protect each other..."

With a sigh, Jughead decides to cut the argument short and remain silent, realising that he can't see Betty's point and that she can't see his. The more that they try -and fail- to explain each side of their argument, the more damage it will do.

Then, after a few moments of frosty silence in the icy room, Betty looks up to him from the opposite side of the room, searching him.

"Did you  _really_  take Emi for a walk, Jughead? You can't see her in the photo that Sheriff Keller had... Was she really with you when you left the house?"

Jughead stands there, looking at her incredulously and a little desperately as if trying to determine whether or not she has  _really_  just said what he thinks that she has said.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing... You're doubting me?! The photo cut off at my shoulders!" Jughead explains, his own frustrations beginning to flare up as he expresses his hurt.

"So, what does that mean? You think I killed him?! I can't believe you can doubt whether or not I  _killed_  a man, Betty! Trust me, as damn much as I wanted him dead, I didn't do it. I can't believe that I even have to explain that to  _you_... I can't believe you could think that I'm capable of that."

After Jughead snaps, Betty's expression softens. She wishes that she'd never asked or sought clarification on the question that she had raised to him just moments earlier, triggering him. So, she opens her mouth and begins to speak up. However, Jughead jumps in and gets in first.

"FORGET IT! I don't know what the point of any of this is if not even my wife believes I'm innocent..."

"I believe that you're innocent, Juggie, I'm just confused... You lied to me. You kept this from me. I have to start asking questions now that I'm hearing about it."

Across the room, Jughead looks at her for a few, painful moments, exposing  _exactly_  how the other is feeling to them, all without uttering a single word. Then, Jughead exhales a sigh, grabbing his old duffle bag that is stored under their bed as he walks over to their cupboards and drawers. He grabs a few handfuls of clothing and essentials, shoving them into the bag that he's holding as she watches on with a furrowed brow.

"Jughead? Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Somewhere... The spare room, my dad's trailer... Maybe I'll see if I can stay with Archie."

The couple that are standing on shaky ground share a look. He looks well beyond the point of  _hurt_ , feeling the pain of Betty clarifying whether or not he was Chuck's killer. Meanwhile, she looks apologetic, wishing she'd never said anything in the first place.

"Jug..." she utters, trailing off. It's her feeble attempt to stop him; to stop him from packing his few belongings into a duffle back, to stop him from furthering the difference between them, to stop him from pushing them further and further apart from each other and to stop him from leaving her.

However, she fails on all accounts as he zips the duffle bag closed, walking across the room as he opens the door before glancing over to Betty.

"Let me know when you're not so confused. I figure you wouldn't want to be sleeping with a suspected murderer."

Now, all of a sudden, there's not just a strain on them and their marriage anymore. Now, it's distance, too.

#

The following day at school, things are still so far from normal. It begins with the fact that Jughead and Betty roll up to school separately, before meeting up for their first class of the day while they wait for their teacher to arrive and unlock the classroom.

Standing outside their classroom, Jughead, Archie and Veronica are all already standing together by the time that Betty rolls up with Emi, joining them as they linger in the hallway.

Jughead can't take his eyes off his wife and daughter as Betty approaches them looking hesitant, nervous and tired. It leaves him wondering if Emi hadn't let Betty have a decent night's sleep last night, especially seeing as he wasn't there to help out either.

Meanwhile, standing by Jughead's side, Archie looks between his two best friends, watching them and their interactions intently. After all, Archie knows the upshot of what is going on between the two of them, seeing as Jughead had ended up on his doorstep, yesterday afternoon sheepishly asking if he could stay the night.

Archie and Fred had allowed Jughead to stay with them, no questions asked, but it wasn't quite like a typical sleepover between friends anymore. After all, the young man who had spent a portion of his time homeless before living with the Andrews briefly in the past now  _had_  a home, a wife and a daughter, right next door.

Veronica too looks between the newlyweds with her attention primarily focused in on the blonde. After all, Archie had messaged her after Jughead turned up on his doorstep, asking his girlfriend if she knew anything about what was going on between their best friends. However, even if her boyfriend hadn't asked her about it, Veronica would have worked out that something was going on between the newlyweds after she turned up at school, seeing Betty and Jughead arrive separately, then interacting like acquaintances rather than husband and wife.

After Betty exchanges greetings with her husband and their friends in a low voice with a small smile, Jughead shifts from his position in the group, moving from standing between Archie and the wall in order to stand beside his wife. He immediately reaches a hand out to stroke his daughter's chubby, little fist as he speaks to Betty in a low whisper.

"Are you okay?"

Betty nods silently in answer to Jughead's question, continuing to rock their daughter in her arms rhythmically.

... He wants to tell her that he missed her last night.

... He wants to tell her that he missed them  _both_.

... He wants to tell her that he probably slept about as poorly as she did with a newborn baby, possibly even worse.

... He wants to tell her that leaving after their fight was a mistake.

... He wants to tell her that he wants to come home.

But, instead, he stays silent, exhaling a sigh as she glances away uncomfortably with the impact of dealing with a murder investigation, a newborn, and the effect of a lack of communication at their age all taking their toll on their marriage.

#

When the group meets up for lunch in the common room, the core four are joined by a few others; namely Kevin, Cheryl and Ethel who have joined the group for lunch indoors.

Before lunch, Jughead had a free period -enabling him to care for Emi- while Betty was in history with Archie. Consequently, the raven-haired-man is already sitting there, waiting and keeping to himself as the others in the group chatter together as he waits for Betty to arrive.

When she eventually does, the fractured young couple just about get away with their issues going undetected as they exchange a small smile from across the room before Betty joins Jughead on the lounge, pressing a kiss to the top of Emi's head from where's she resting in his arms as Betty checks how their daughter was for him during the time that she was in class.

"Bubba was an absolute angel. She slept through almost the entire period and let her dad get some studying done. She only woke up about five or ten minutes before the bell."

Betty smiles at Jughead's answer, pressing another kiss to the top of Emi's head before pulling her packed lunch out for herself as well as the lunch she had packed for Jughead -just in case- as she joins in and listens in to her friend's conversation.

"Did you guys see my dad put out a call-out for anyone who has any details on Chuck's death?" Kevin asks, more than a little insensitively.

In that moment, the gossiper in him overrules the friend in him. After all, he is just about bursting at the seams with the potential of more gossip coming his way before he realises that he really  _shouldn't_ have put that question out there with his present company, noting the way that Betty is looking down at her sandwich uncomfortably.

"Your dad put a call-out? That sounds about right... He basically needed JJ's death to be spelled out  _for_  him and I doubt that he's bothered graduating from Sheriff-school in that time."

Kevin shoots Cheryl an offended glare before spewing his next cutting remark.

"Yeah, well as least  _my_  dad wasn't the murderer."

Across the room, Kevin and Cheryl exchange unimpressed glares to accompany their venomous words but  _that_  is the nature of their relationship; the more brutal, the better.

From the sidelines, Veronica nips her lip, attempting to hide her amused smile as she refrains from speaking up at the banter.

Then, it's Ethel who speaks up next while she plays with the sleeve of the sweater, appearing to contemplate whether to say anything or not for quite a while before she actually does so.

"I actually saw your dad this morning, Kevin... I heard about the call-out so I came forward with something. I'd heard that numerous sets of footprints were found around the part of the walking track where he was found. I go walking there twice a day so I came forward and said that some were mine, you know, to avoid confusion."

There are a flurry of nods from others among the group before Kevin speaks up, sending a sour look in the redhead's direction.

"Footprints? Really?! That's  _all_? Damn, that's boring. I've been living off of the hope that the call-out would mark the beginnings of things  _finally_ getting juicier..."

#

After the call-out for anyone with any information on Chuck's death was put out and after Ethel's anti-climatic footprint announcement, Kevin's wish came true with someone coming forward with information on an assault involving Chuck from a few months before his death.

The person was a resident from Greendale who was visiting  _Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe_ , someone who was unfamiliar with the locals of Riverdale. However, the anonymous caller reported that while he had been sitting there and eating his breakfast at  _Pop's_  one morning a few months back, a fight had broken out between two teenagers before someone wearing a Southside Serpent's jacket, matching FP's description intervened and lead a young man who matched Chuck's description into the green vehicle that he described, sounding identical to the beat up truck driven around town by the gang leader.

Sheriff Keller didn't waste a single moment before hauling FP into the station and the interview room where just about everyone close to Betty -including the young girl herself- has been forced into in relation into Chuck's murder, going through the standard interrogation, just with the Southside Serpent this time.

"Now, where were you between the hours of nine PM on the third of January to five AM on the fourth, Mr. Jones?"

"I'm a night owl. I was on the Southside all night. How would you like me to prove it? Cameras would have caught me in the Whyte Worm talking to some mates, playing a couple of games of pool and my bank account will show each time I bought a soda throughout the night. Didn't leave til around half past three that night and again you'll see my transaction for getting petrol on the way home. I didn't get home till closer to four that night and I've heard that by that time the kid was long dead. Even if he wasn't, there's no way I could have had enough time to physically get from the petrol station, to the forest and then be outta there again before he was found."

Sheriff Keller scrawls away busily on his notepad to compensate for his unpreparedness over FP's seemingly watertight alibi. The Serpent senses this, slouching back in his seat with his smirk strong, his arms crossed and his body language confident as he waits for the next question.

"That's an awfully thorough alibi, don't you think, Mr. Jones? Seems like your intentionally covering your own skin."

"Hardly... That's a normal night for me. Nights get lonely on my own. I prefer spending my nights out and sleeping through the day more."

The Sheriff watches the man sitting across from him for an extended length of time before posing the next question.

"So, you're king of the Southside Serpents. I imagine that must hold a lot of weight, with a lot of people at your beck and call... Did you enlist someone to deal with the victim? To kill him while you made sure  _you_ had a watertight alibi?"

FP scoffs at the other man from across the table, shaking his head at the accusation he'd been expecting from the small-town sheriff with a heavy bias.

"I know that you're ready and waiting to pin anything and everything on the Serpents, but I'll tell you what I've told you time and again... The Serpents don't get involved in the hard stuff. I don't think it gets any  _harder_  than murder."

"Aside from disposing of murder victims,  _right_? Never mind. So, would you care to explain why someone witnessed you roughening up the victim out the front of  _Pop's Chock'Lit Shoppe_  four months before he was killed?"

As he poses the next question to the smug Serpent, coming from a different angle, Sheriff Keller is the one wearing a smirk on his own face, desperately hoping that the new evidence will incriminate the other man from the new angle.

"He hurt my daughter-in-law and he continued to harass her and my son; my family. All I did was take him out, have a good old chat to him and warn him to stay in line and  _far_ away from them."

"And if he  _didn't_? What if he continued to bother your son and daughter-in-law? By, let's say, filing a paternity suit against them and applying for custody of your granddaughter?"

FP shifts closer to Sheriff Keller in his seat, moving forward and resting his hands on the table between himself and the other man, looking him  _straight_ in the eye as he delivers his answer.

"Then, I would have made his life a  _living_  hell until he learnt to stay away from them.  _Trust me._  There's no way that he deserved to die so easily, not without paying for what he did to Betty. He basically got off scot-free."

#

While Sheriff Keller failed to incriminate FP Jones as he answered each question with ease, the following day would prove to have far greater results for the small town sheriff and his short list of suspects in Riverdale's latest murder investigation.

After all, the following day the video evidence of the subpoenaed security tape would be handed in after the tip-off of the altercation from over four months ago, confirming that it did indeed involve Chuck Clayton and FP Jones, as well as revealing the third, unidentified person as being Forsythe Pendleton Jones the III...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a few chapters left! There is so much left to come guys. But, before then, I'd love to know what you all thought of this chapter!
> 
> Next chapter: Betty and Jughead try to tackle their marital issues and the investigation. Then, an arrest is made.


	47. Bigger Than This

**CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN: Bigger Than This**

After having spent their first night apart as a married couple, Betty asked Jughead if they could meet up straight after school. The significance of this divide in their marriage, especially so early on, had really affected Betty, terrifying her and shaking her over the fact that for the first time since her wedding day and despite everything, maybe she and Jughead  _won't_  be able to make it...

The thought sent shivers down Betty's spine and pulsed determination through her to ensure that it did not come to that, that her greatest fears wouldn't come true.

Both Betty and Jughead had their reasons for feeling justified in their thinking and the way that they felt after many months of enormous challenges for two teenagers and a gradual lack of communication drove them to spending their first night apart when Jughead had packed up his meagre amount of belongings up and asked to stay next door with his best friend and his father.

Betty had been hurt that Jughead had lied to her over the fact that he had withheld information from both Sheriff Keller and her, concealing the fact that he  _had_  been out on the night of Chuck's murder, taking Emi for a walk not long before his estimated time of death. In fact, not only had she been upset that he had lied to her, but she was also angry that he had essentially put the integrity of her and her parents alibis at risk by not telling her.

However, as she had lay in bed that night and between being disturbed by Emi's wakeups for feeds throughout the night, Betty was reminded of just how dedicated Jughead had been to her, through  _everything_.

After all, Jughead had stood by her even after she broke up with him and despite the fact that she'd told him that she had been carrying another man's baby throughout the entirety of their relationship. He never, ever doubted her about Chuck, not even for a second. And, he had just about gone to the ends of the earth to prove his commitment to and love for both Betty herself and their daughter...

#

Jughead walked home from school with Betty and Emi that day after she had asked him if they could meet and speak privately after school.

Seeing as their last conversation in their bedroom had grown both loud and heated, Betty settled Emi down into the cot that is still a little too big for her nursery in the room next door to hers before she and Jughead relocate to their bedroom as he trails in after her a little sheepishly.

"Come home, Juggie" is the first thing that Betty says, pleading with him and imploring him to return.

Already, her eyes are filling with tears as her lip begins to tremble fearfully. Over the last day, she has realised just how much bigger than a lover's tiff their issues are, leaving Betty  _terrified_. Just the idea of not being able to bring their marriage back from the point that they have both stood by and allowed it to get to fills her with fear.

Jughead stands there in the middle of the room. Although his eyes are soft, his expression is straight and neutral. He too realises the depth of the wedge that he and Betty have allowed to settle between them and force them apart as the stress of their new marriage, raising their daughter and Chuck both in his life and after death has put on the two of them. After all, it had been no simple matter and no small issue for Jughead to get to the point to walkout, to leave his home and his wife, even for just a night.  _No_ , it had taken a lot of little things to build up and get to that point.

However, unlike the day before, Betty doesn't give up and she doesn't give in as quickly, taking his larger hands into her own, holding them tight as they swing between them while she looks up pleadingly and desperately to him

"Please, Juggie...  _Please_ , come home. I shouldn't have let you go so easily yesterday. I should have fought for you. I should have fought harder to make you stay."

After a long, outdrawn silence, Betty  _feels_  the relief surge through her as Jughead slowly begins to nod, taking a few steps towards her to close the gap between them. He opens his arms to her as she just collapses into his calming body.

"I'm sorry, Jughead. I'm  _so_  sorry... I'm sorry that I haven't been turning to you as much as I should have in decision-making and communication. I'm sorry I haven't been factoring you in and acting like you're my husband. I'm sorry I had to ask you whether you'd killed Chuck or not."

Feeling her whimper into him guiltily at the end of her words breaks Jughead's heart. So, he holds her closer and tighter into his chest, rubbing up and down her back as he whispers into her hair below his chin.

"I'm sorry, too, Betts. I've made stupid mistakes and made bad decisions as well... I should have been honest with you all along and told you about how I went out that night."

Betty nods into his chest as he holds her, his hand continually trying to reassure her and comfort her, rubbing strong, sure circles into her back.

Then, as she pulls herself away from the comfort of his body just a little to look up and into his eyes with her own teary green ones, Betty's lip quivers as she asks her husband the single question that she couldn't bear hearing the wrong answer to.

"Juggie... Are we okay?"

"Yeah..." he breathes, pressing a kiss to the top of her hair as his hands stroke up and down her arms. "We're better than to let this get to us. We're stronger than this."

As she exhales an enormous sigh of relief, Betty collapses into his chest once again. He is quick to hold her tight and close, reassuring her that he's right there as she mumbles the same thing over and over into him, her words being muffled into him...

"I love you, Jughead. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"I know. I'm sorry, too. I love you" he says as he holds her tight and close, continually returning her apologies and declarations of her love over and over again.

The two of them stay like this, standing there, holding each other and reassuring each other for a long, long time before Betty slowly tears herself away from where her head is resting against her husband's chest. She slowly looks up at him with her tear-filled eyes that break his heart as she prepares to speak up and divulge her fears to him if they're going to be able to start afresh properly.

"Jug, there's something else, too...The more that I think about it, the more I'm not sure if I've made the right decision by telling the Clayton's that I'll try to let them be involved in Emi's life. That's been weighing on me too because I just don't know... I know I should have talked to you first, Jug.  _We_  should have discussed it together. I'm so sorry that I went ahead without you."

Jughead just gives her hands a little squeeze. The fact that she had seemed open to the idea of their daughter being involved with her biological grandparents had stung him. That was no lie and Jughead wasn't going to deny that. However, he also wasn't about to make things harder on her amidst her evident distress by labouring his own pain to further her guilt.

However, as he holds her hands within his, stroking them gently with his thumbs, Jughead does pose one question to her in a gentle, but serious tone.

"Why  _did you_  say anything to them about being involved with Emi in the first place, then?"

Betty inhales a long, deep breath before her green eyes find his blue, looking to him earnestly as she answers him with undeniable honestly, exposing her vulnerability at the same time.

"Because I'm desperate to find anything that will help, because, I'm scared. I'm  _terrified_ , Jug... I'm terrified that I'm never going to stop feeling the way that I do. I'm terrified that I'm never going to get over what Chuck did, even now that he's gone. I'm terrified that no matter what I try to do, that living with what he did to me is never going to get any easier."

Once again, fresh tears begin to fill Betty's eyes, crushing Jughead in the process at having to see just how deeply broken and pained she is from her ordeal.

So, he holds her tight. He hugs her. He reassures her over and over again that he's right there and that everything will be okay. That  _she'll_  be okay.

After a long time in his arms, Betty eventually speaks up, talking through her sniffles as she wipes away her tears to try and continue speaking.

"I just want to move on, Jug... I just want to try anything to move past it all, to be able to carry on with our own lives..."

However, once again, she is overcome with tears as she sobs into the comfort of him, releasing her raw pain into him as he holds her tight and close, trying to shoulder as much of the weight of the burdens that she carries as he possibly can for her.

Then, after a long time passes by with him just holding her, Jughead slowly begins to pull the hair tie out of her hair, trying to relax her as he strokes his hands through her hair soothingly. Leaning down just a little, Jughead gently leans onto Betty's shoulder as he speaks to her in a slow, consoling whisper, uttering the reassurances that she needs to hear to her.

"Let's just get through this, Betts. Let's focus on making it through this murder investigation, making it through high school and making it through the next few years... Let's get enough savings together behind us to just support ourselves, and then let's move away... Let's get out of Riverdale, let's get away from here... Let's go somewhere close enough to see how friends and family, but somewhere far enough away from here... We'll have a fresh start. No one will know our past, no one will know the stigma of Cooper perfection, and no one will know the burden of the Jones name. We'll make our own start, forge our own paths. We'll be the Jones family and we'll make a name for ourselves. Just me, you and Emi against the world..."

As Jughead whispers the words of reassurances to her, promising her of a better hope for tomorrow, for the day after and for their future, he simultaneously strokes and runs his hands through her hair, as the young couple pours their wholehearted hope into a happy, fairytale ending.

#

The following morning is a usual Saturday and the newlyweds wake up slowly, just before nine, after Betty had gotten a little more sleep after Emi's five thirty feed.

"I feel like I've barely seen you all week..." Betty sighs dramatically, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips.

It's true. Without even factoring in their separation from the night before, the two of them had spent almost the entire week apart between their predominantly separate classes, the trips to the sheriff's office, Jughead's after-school work at  _Pop's_  and Betty still trying to avoid the town as much as she can in the wake of Chuck's funeral. In fact, even  _before_  their night apart, Betty and Jughead would spend the majority of their days and nights apart before winding up in the same bed at the end of the day.

In hindsight, Betty realises that this can't have been doing wonders to their lack of communication, rather, only accelerating their marital issues.

As they break apart from their kiss, they continue to keep their voices low even  _with_  the house to themselves.

Then, with a little smirk curling on the corners of his lips, Jughead responds to Betty's original remark.

"Don't tell my wife, I've barely seen  _her_  all week either."

Betty rolls her eyes at his comment, followed by a smirk of her own as she continues to play along.

"Oh, that's all good... She can keep my husband occupied."

Jughead returns Betty's smirk two-fold as his strong hands pull her a little closer into him while she lazily runs her fingertips up and down his chest with a smile growing across her lips.

"Okay... So for those of you playing at home, my dad's out playing his Saturday morning round of golf, I haven't heard my mum get back from having coffee with a friend and our baby is still fast asleep..." she leaves a kiss on his neck before looking up to him with a questioning look and a devilish grin.

"Are you-" Jughead begins, before an eager Betty cuts him off a little too early.

"Propositioning you? Yes.  _Yes_ , I definitely am."

" _Sure_ , I was going to say. Are you sure? I mean I'm always up for it, but I don't want to rush you... The night before last we weren't even sleeping in the same bed and now we most certainly  _are_. I don't want to move too fast for you. I don't want you to feel like you have to."

Betty glances up to her husband with so much love in her eyes. She cups his head in her hands as she presses a soft, lingering kiss to his lips that tells him just how grateful and appreciative she is for him and his limitless care for her, never failing to put her and her feelings above his own.

Intimacy had been something that had taken a lot of little baby steps to find their way through and as a general rule, Jughead tried to leave initiation in her court.

"I am sure, thank you for checking. But,  _you know_  that I'll tell you if I'm ever even feeling a little bit unsure and  _I know_  that you'll listen to me."

The couple share a small smile as Betty shuffles over closer to her husband as he meets her halfway pressing his lips to hers. She deepens their kiss, as her hands slowly roam beneath his shirt, slowly scaling in order to pull it over his head. She nods at the look her gives her, smiling, as he returns the favour. Then, just after he flips them over, trailing kisses down her neck as he begins to hover above her, there's a sudden series of noises within seconds, all ending with their bedroom door flying open.

As Alice storms into her youngest daughter's childhood bedroom, she has not even a smidgen of the same level of mortification as the two newlyweds who are left scrambling in their bed as Jughead throws himself on top of Betty while she's yanking their quilt over them in a desperate attempt to cover themselves and each other.

Unfazed, Alice stands in the doorway beginning to chatter on, undeterred, about the reason why she's barged into her daughter and son-in-laws bedroom as the two of them lie there, panting with adrenaline as they hold their quilt up to their neck.

"Good morning! Now I'm going to the shops this afternoon. Is there anything either of you need? Well, apart from the obvious."

Juggling her utter disbelief that Alice is  _still_  standing there like she's oblivious, Betty and Jughead share a horrified look before she yelps out to her mother with wide and dilated eyes.

"Mum!  _Get out_!"

#

After Alice walked in on them in a compromising position that morning, Betty and Jughead spent the majority of their day holed up upstairs, apart from when Betty quickly scurried downstairs to bring some food back up for them.

However, later that afternoon while Jughead is burping Emi after her last feed, Betty feels the dread in her stomach knowing that she needs to address what she and Jughead are so desperately trying to put behind them.

So, with a big deep breath, Betty makes her way downstairs, wringing her hands nervously the entire time as she walks through her home and finds her mother sitting in the lounge room, sipping a cup of tea with her nose in a book.

"Mum? Have you got a minute? Can we talk?"

Alice places her book down in her lap before turning her attention to her daughter, silently indicating for Betty to continue speaking without uttering even a single word.

Betty follows her mother's body language and prompts, taking a seat in the lounge opposite her, placing her own hands in her lap uncomfortably as she fidgets with her wedding band and engagement ring, twisting them around and around on her finger.

"So this morning... Look, I'm sorry that you caught Jughead and I-, uh, in a compromising position. We thought that you and dad were both out."

While Betty is riddled with nerves as she broaches the uncomfortable topic with her mother awkwardly, Alice is already a little bored at how the issue is being drawn out, just exhaling a sigh with a complacent roll of her icy blue eyes.

"You're newlyweds and I'm not sure if you realise that the house isn't quite as soundproof as what you might like to believe it is."

Betty blanches, looking down to the floor as she continues to twist the rings on her left hand from where she's seated on the lounge opposite her mother and averting her gaze as Alice continues to speak.

"You're married, Elizabeth. It's not really my place to tell you what you can and can't do anymore. Yes, you're still so young, but you're married and intercourse is a normal and natural part of being in a mature relationship. While hopefully we can avoid having anymore encounters like this morning, all I'll say is that so long as the two of you aren't planning on giving Emi any siblings for quite a while, then what's the issue?"

Betty squints uncomfortably at her mother's blasé attitude that does not mirror her own whatsoever, feeling nowhere near as comfortable and open about the issue as the older woman is.

In fact, Betty isn't even quite sure of  _what_  to say to her mother in return, stumbling over her words before speaking in the form of a question.

"Uh, thanks for being okay about this?"

Alice just nods before returning to her book once again. In that moment, Betty loses her nerve ever so briefly, standing up and preparing to walk off and scrub any remnant or reminder of this morning out of her mind, welcoming the idea of leaving the matter to rest.

However, something stops Betty, realising that she has more she needs to say, as much as she might not want to. So, once again she interrupts her mother's reading in a low voice.

"Mum? Look... The point that I'm trying to make is that we need privacy. You know the locks on the bedroom and bathroom doors are hit-and-miss. But, if Jughead and I are going to make our marriage work living here, we  _need_  privacy. I know everything has changed really quickly, but it's not just my room anymore, mum. It's Jughead's too and we need that privacy, especially seeing as things have been a little rocky for us lately. We might be together or he might be getting dressed or just want some time out without you or dad blazing in unannounced. You didn't even knock this morning... Look, the point I'm trying to make is that I want Jug to feel comfortable because this is  _his_  home now too, mum."

Alice remains silent, her face neutral for far longer than Betty likes before she finally speaks up with a slow nod.

"I understand. The two of you have had more than your fair share of issues to contend with. So, if I can do something about making things a little easier on the two of you, I'll do my best to do it. I'll also talk to your father about looking into some new locks for around the house, too. But, I want Jug-head to know that he's welcome in our home and I hope that he feels like he is. He's a part of this family and like you said, this is his home, too."

#

"Your mum said  _what_?" Jughead confirms in disbelief just moments after Betty finishes relaying the conversation she'd had with her mother after returning upstairs.

He's walking back and forth around their room, bouncing Emi in his arms as he attempts to settle her.

"You heard me... Face it, Juggie. You're one of us now."

Across the room, the young couple share a small smile, before Jughead's expression contorts to more of a smirk as he makes the comment that Betty is expecting.

"I'm an honourary Cooper now? Ooh, yikes. Maybe I should have thought this all through a bit better..."

Betty just rolls her green eyes at him, not rising to his tease.

"Watch it you... You were happy enough to marry one."

"Like I said, maybe I should have thought this through a bit better..."

Jughead's remark prompts Betty's initial offended little gasp, while his smirking grin that follows it is the reason why she has to fight back a giggle.

Then, as Jughead continues rocking Emi in his arms, trying to settle the baby down for her nap, Betty trails across the room to her desk, pulling out a few notebooks, sharpies and post-it notes as she begins scribbling away.

Earlier on that day, after their interruption, Jughead and Betty had decided that they'd go over all the information that they know of surrounding Chuck's death together, trying to uncover any gaps or potential leads to follow.

So, as Betty scrawls out the pieces of evidence, what they already know and the main suspects surrounding the investigation that all leads back to the name that churns Betty's stomach, Jughead stands behind her at the desk, watching on and reading as she writes while he rocks Emi.

Then as she pushes the lid of her sharpie back on with a click, Betty exhales an overwhelmed sigh as she looks among the information that they already have, glancing up to Jughead with a suggestion.

"Okay, maybe we should focus less on who has a  _motive_  because quite frankly I think that's the bone that Sheriff Keller is chasing and I hate the fact that that reduces it down to basically everyone in either of our families. Let's go with opportunity for a while instead and see where we get."

Jughead nods at her suggestion, quickly glancing down at his daughter in his arms, checking as to whether or not she has drifted off to sleep just yet before returning his focus back over to his wife and her notes.

"So who had the opportunity apart from the half of the town whose alibis are unknown?"

"I don't know... But, we have a few leads we can follow. Ethel said she came forward because she uses the walking track in the woods there near her house. We could ask her about if she saw or heard anything suspicious or out of the ordinary and we can ask if she saw anyone there on the day he was killed. Kevin is someone else who comes to mind. I don't know how much he goes cruising anymore, but I thought we could ask him the same thing and ask if he knows anyone who is there regularly who might have seen or heard something from that night."

Listening to Betty's tangent of thoughts and seeing her face fill with light and opportunity at her inspiration for leads to pursue in the new investigation brings a smile to Jughead's face. It reminds him of a whiteboard in the Blue and Gold office a little over a year ago, listing names, pinning photos and pieces of evidence to the wall. It almost feels like recapturing that same feeling a year on, the detective duo teaming up while balancing a baby on their hip this time around.

"Betts... It's just like the old days" Jughead smiles, looking over to Betty who shares his expression before he expands on his comment, pressing a kiss to the top of Emi's head. "Just with this one on our team now, too."

Betty smiles, reaching up and pressing a kiss to Jughead's lips before gently stroking Emi's back.

"I love you, Jug. We're going to find out who killed him. We're going to clear you and everyone else who has been wrapped up in this investigation."

After an exchange of smiles, Betty and Jughead return to their notes and investigative work, continuing to go over what they already know, along with what else they can try to pursue.

However, for the second time that day, the door on Jughead and Betty's bedroom door is burst open and they are interrupted once again. This time they are in a far less compromising situation, though this time it is in a far more dramatic manner.

This time, it's not just Alice Cooper who storms into their bedroom. Rather, it's Sheriff Keller, followed by a fellow sheriff and Betty's parents who linger behind in the doorway.

After all, the viewing of the seized CCTV footage taken outside of  _Pop's_  one morning around six months ago, showing Jughead throwing the first punches after Chuck dangled the carrot in front of him for long enough to make him snap, followed by showing FP breaking it up and then driving off with Chuck in the truck.

However, the incriminating evidence of violence was the last strike that the small town sheriff needed against Jughead, who was the focus of his investigation, having gathered enough evidence with the footage of both the fight, the footage of Jughead being caught walking around in town an hour or so before the murder and the fact that he had more motive than just about anyone else.

So, holding his breath, Jughead is instructed to hand Emi over to his wife, to move away from Betty and their baby and to put his hands in the air before cold, uncomfortable handcuffs are locked in place around his wrists.

"Forsythe Jones. You are under arrest for suspicion of the murder of Charles Clayton. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of Law..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapters left! Thankfully Bughead are back together, working together and are stronger than ever, despite Jug's arrest.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who is still supporting this story in the lead up to the end. I really hope you'll like the way the final chapters unfold.
> 
> However, I do want to inform you all that while the final few chapters are all finished, there may be a bit of a break between now and the next chapter. I've had a lot going on in my personal life and then there's been some drama and unnecessary drama on my other story which has left me feeling a little defeated. But, don't worry, I will absolutely post the remainder of this story.
> 
> Next chapter: As Betty struggles in the wake of Jughead's arrest, she pours all of her time and focus into her own investigation for the truth of what happened to Chuck.


	48. Weathering The Storm

**CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT: Weathering The Storm**

Betty stayed right by Jughead's side for as long as she could after he was hauled down to the Sheriff's office and refused bail, being locked into the same cell that his father had been just months earlier, when he too was wrongly imprisoned as the primary suspect in a murder investigation.

She waited outside, trying to calm herself down and focus on being strong enough to be able to give him the strength that he would need as Sheriff Keller conducted another interrogation with Jughead, repeatedly reminding him of and giving him the opportunity to confess.

Several hours after his arrest, they had finally been permitted to see each other. The two of them stood there as close as they possibly could, despite the barriers dividing them from each other as they hold each other as tight as they can and as though there aren't any solid, cold bars standing between them.

He holds the sides of her face in his palms, looking at her intently and reassuring her over and over again that it will  _all_ be okay; that they'll be okay, that he'll okay and that she'll be okay without him. Despite all the time that she'd spent trying to prepare herself to be strong enough to support him, he's the one who's supporting them and being strong enough for the both of them in that moment.

After all, it takes everything that Betty has in her to be able to stand there, to hold back her tears and to stop herself from falling to the ground as she reaches the very end of her tether after far too long of pushing through the pain and the struggle.

Then, when Sheriff Keller interrupts the newlyweds telling Betty that their time together is up, Betty nods softly at the authority, turning back to Jughead and pressing a single kiss to his lips through the bars, whispering the words that will leave him with the strength that he needs to make it through until the next time he sees her.

" _I love you so much._ "

#

It's only after Betty gets home and once she's entered her childhood family home, closing the door behind her when her world comes crashing down, crumbling around her...

It's  _then_  when Betty loses all control of her breathing, becoming overcome with distraught sobs that wrack her body as she slides down against the back of the front door that she has just closed.

Upon hearing his youngest daughter from further within his home, Hal rushes over at the sound of her tears and the deep pain powering them. Then, he pulls Betty to her feet again as he holds his arms out to his little girl who had to grow up far too quickly.

He holds Betty securely in his arms, stroking her hair and hushing her for as long as it takes for her tears to subside and for her grief to numb down to an aching pain.

When Betty finally feels strong enough to escape from the comfort of her father's arms, he offers to make her a hot drink, telling her that both her mother and her daughter are upstairs in Emi's nursery; the bedroom beside Jughead and Betty's, which she makes a beeline for.

Hearing the door open, Alice's eyes fly upwards from where she's rocking back and forth in the recliner on the other side of the room. She can tell her daughter has been crying. She can see that her eyes still reddened, along with the tears staining a path down her cheeks, panging Alice's heart sympathetically. However, now that her tears have slowly drawn to a stop, Betty is just left looking and feeling both tired and drawn.

"How is he?"

Betty simply nods in response to her mother's concern over her husband as she strolls across the room and over to the single-seated recliner that had recently been moved into Emi's room.

"He's okay... He's doing better than I am" Betty says, exhaling a heavy sigh that she's been holding in. "The lawyer arrived just before I was told to leave."

For the first time since the police had burst into her home earlier that day, the smallest of smiles spreads across Betty's lips as she looks down to her daughter, the baby who -along with her husband- had brought the light to her life through some of her darkest days.

"Hey, baby girl..."

The four-month-old baby has fallen fast asleep in her grandmother's arms and warm embrace, clutching onto the hem of Alice's cardigan for comfort as she suckles on her dummy rhythmically.

However, Alice shuffles upon noting Betty's attention on her daughter. Consequently, she shifts Emi within her arms, holding her close and tight to herself as she stands up and hands her granddaughter over to her own daughter who seems to want her baby back.

"Thanks for looking after her, mum. I might just take her to my room and put her bassinet beside my bed for tonight."

Alice nods in understanding, laying a caring hand to her daughter's shoulder as Betty averts her gaze from her mother's blue eyes.

"Can I get you anything? Do you want something to eat or something to drink? Is there anything I can do? Anyone I can call?"

Betty exhales a heavy sigh as she settles Emi against her body, finding a familiar position that is comfortable for them both as she begins to rub circles into her daughter's small back.

"No, I'm fine... I'll probably just wait a little while and see if Emi wakes up for another feed for tonight, then I'll head to bed, too. The only other thing that I was going to do was call FP and make sure he's heard."

With her hand on her daughter's shoulder, Alice nods in understanding, quickly snatching up the opportunity to help her independent daughter who she seldom has the opportunity to look after anymore now that Betty is a wife and mother herself.

"Leave it with me. I'll call FP, you rest. I understand if you want Emi close to you, but if you want me to take her from you at all tonight, just let me know."

Betty gives her mother the smallest smile of gratitude. It's all that she can find the strength to muster up in that moment. Then, she carries Emi out of her nursery and into her own childhood bedroom next door that she now shares with her husband.

After closing the door behind her, Betty walks small laps around her room as she rubs circles into Emi's tiny body. She's soothing her daughter at the same time as she's trying to relax herself as she rests her baby into the crook of her neck, snuggling into her daughter as she whispers into her soft, baby skin.

"We'll get daddy home soon, Emi. He'll be back with us soon..."

#

The following day and after an abysmal night's sleep in her cold and lonely bed, Betty shocks her mother when she goes downstairs –dressed and ready- to prepare breakfast for herself and hoping that she's timed it perfectly so that Emi will be looking for her own breakfast just after she's finished hers.

"You're going to school?"

Alice's eyes widen with concern as Betty nods at her question while complacently turning the kettle on and grabs the cereal box to quickly pour some cereal into the bowl that she has just placed on the bench.

After Betty had arrived home last night, Alice and Hal had spent a lot of their evening discussing their fears for their daughter, worrying how much more the seventeen-year-old can endure in such a short amount of time before she's pushed too far. So, naturally, Alice is disturbed to see that Betty is getting ready for school just like it's any ordinary day, and as though her husband  _hadn't_  just been arrested not even twenty four hours earlier.

"And you're taking Emi?"

"Yeah, of course I am. She's still too little for me to leave her for an entire day. Now, can you remind me to call Pop Tate? I'll have to do it quickly between classes to let him know that Jughead obviously won't be able to come in for work today."

As a frown settles on her face, Alice moves across the room and over to her daughter who she fears is so fragile that she's just holding on by a thread which could potentially be broken by any little thing, at any point in time.

"Betty, you know how important that I believe that your education is. But,  _you_  are even more important to me than that. Are you sure that you're up to going to school today? I'm sure your friends will help you stay up to date if you need today to come to terms with everything..."

Just as Alice is worried about, Betty has thrown on her mask, concealing all her fears, all her concerns and the fact that she is not coping at all with her husband's arrest. However, she  _needs_ to keep going and keep moving, by staying busy, focusing her attention on her daughter and getting back to normality.

After all, she's worried that if she stops, she won't be able to start and get back up again. She can't afford to fall down. She can't afford to stop...

 _Not_ when Jughead needs her and Emi needs her even more than that.

"We'll be fine, but I've got to go to school. I need to do everything I can to get Jughead out of there and that's the best way for me to do that rather than sitting around helplessly at home."

#

When Betty joins her best friends with Emi in her arms, walking over to them as they linger outside of their classroom, Veronica, Archie and Kevin all wear expressions that resemble Alice Cooper's when they realise that their friend is there at school, like it's any old day and as though her husband's not currently sitting behind bars.

As soon as she approaches the group, Veronica walks over to Betty with a look of confusion, greeting her with a question.

"Hey? What are you doing here, B?"

Looking around herself and scanning her surroundings before answering Veronica's question, Betty begins to take note of her fellow classmates and the other students who all seem to be acutely interested in her presence, too.

Holding her daughter a little closer to herself like a security blanket, Betty tries to push the pointing fingers and the glances in her direction to the back her mind as she focuses on answering Veronica's question.

"It's a school day, so I'm at school."

Betty's voice is monotone and her expression is neutral as she concentrates her attention on bouncing her daughter within her arms.

"Yeah, but  _Jug..._ " Archie begins to say before stopping himself, realising that Betty would well know  _exactly_  where Jughead is; better than anyone else.

"My life hasn't come to a grinding stop just because he's in jail, Archie. I have to keep going on without him."

Veronica reaches a hand out to rub her friend's shoulder supportively and Archie sighs, looking down to the ground as Kevin watches on uncomfortably.

However, before anyone else can say or do anything, Betty is approached by one of her braver fellow students who is hovering around her and friends.

"Betty? Is it true that Jughead was arrested?"

Then, as soon as the first person has broken the ice, going up to speak to her, several others that had been involved in the surrounding groups that were watching on, whispering, pointing fingers and glaring begin to approach too, all of them bombarding the overwhelmed young girl at the same time...

" _Yeah, I heard that he was arrested yesterday and they won't let him out..."_

" _He's a cold blooded killer. That's disgusting. I hope he rots in jail for what he did."_

" _He killed Chuck? Good on him! Chuck had it coming..."_

" _The town's safer with him behind bars. Jughead is a_ _ **murderer**_ _."_

With each bitter word, each accusing glance, each whispered rumour and each glare, Betty's chest rises and falls rapidly. There is so much that she wants to say and there are so many things that she wants to fire back to defend Jughead's innocence. However, the words just  _don't_ come.

Instead, being overwhelmed by the taunts and torment, Betty holds her daughter closer against her chest, racing off and rushing away from the crowd of hecklers, her heart pounding as she breathes short, shallow breaths.

Veronica follows after her distressed best friend, holding her arms out to take her daughter from her.

She hasn't given in and she hasn't let her fellow classmate's taunts consume her, but her mask and veil that are disguising how poorly she's coping is wearing thin as she fights to stay afloat through the stormy waters that have been threatening to pull her down and beneath the surface for over the last year.

Handing her daughter over to Veronica, Betty clings onto a fence and the safety barrier just outside the main entrance to the school, looking out over the garden and the car park of Riverdale High School, in search for the fresh air that she so desperately needs in that moment. She stands there, hyperventilating and struggling to control her breathing as she fights against the effect of her classmate's slanderous words about her husband who is still locked up and behind bars at present.

After several minutes of Veronica supportively holding Emi against her with one hand and stroking Betty's back with the other, the young mother slowly begins to control her breathing as her breaths grow deeper and less erratic, inhaling more of the air that she so desperately needs.

Then, after a particularly deep breath of air, Betty looks to Veronica, speaking earnestly as her friend sees the fear in her eyes.

"I don't know how much more I can take, V... I don't know..."

Veronica exhales a heartbroken sigh on her best friend's behalf. A part of her has no idea how Betty is still going, still pushing forward and carrying on through all the cruel devastation that life has thrown her way. Yet, she is filled with wonder over the strength of the very same girl, despite all that she has been through and endured in her seventeen years and especially over the last year.

"You  _can_  do it, B. You  _can_  get through this... There are not many people would have the strength and endurance that you have, Betty. So, I have the utmost confidence in you and the fact that you will get through this until Jughead's back home -safe and sound- with you and Emi. I  _know_  you can get there. I have every faith that your strength alone is enough to get you there, but just remember you've got me, Archie, your family and Jughead's dad right behind you, too, B."

With her friend's words of reassurance behind her, Betty takes another deep breath and inhales the air that she needs to go on as she prepares herself to turn back the way that she came from just minutes earlier and to face the judgement roaming around the school hallways with a new determination to keep fighting for her little family.

#

Seeing as staff had been notified about Jughead's arrest and Betty's consequential situation, their teachers hadn't been expecting to see her today, either. So, when Betty had spoken to the teacher of her next lesson, explaining her situation and requesting to study in the library to collect herself and gather her thoughts for the rest of the day ahead, her teacher had been more than understanding.

However, despite her promises to her teacher to stay up-to-date with her schoolwork by studying in the library, Betty finds herself spending the period working on her research and investigation into Chuck's death, trying to find  _anything_ to either prove her husband's innocence or to incriminate someone else.

After that lesson came the mid-morning break which Betty spent with Kevin who joined her in the student lounge. Initially, Veronica and Archie had started off with them before offering to take Emi -who had grown a little grizzly- on a walk around the school grounds for Betty.

Consequently, Betty used the opportunity to speak to her friend who she had been meaning to touch base with, hoping to dig for a little more information on his knowledge of the woods where Chuck was murdered, knowing that Kevin would frequent them when cruising.

"Hey Kev?" Betty asks, catching her friend's attention as he puts his apple slice down in his lunchbox, turning to her as she continues talking, posing her question to him.

"I don't know how much cruising you do anymore, but I've been meaning to ask you whether you came across anything around the time of Chuck's death that struck you as unusual? Did you see anyone or notice anything that seemed out of the ordinary?"

Kevin pauses for a few moments, stopping and thinking about Betty's question to him. He has to think several weeks back, while mentally comparing that data with both before and after that date.

"Um... I must say that I haven't really been cruising all that much lately. And, even when I did before, I don't think it was frequently enough and for long enough to be able to pick up on trends or anything that stood out as unusual. If anything, I  _did_ see one guy just hovering around several times... I never saw him do anything suspicious as such but he never seemed to be there with anyone else and I never saw him leaving with anyone else, either. I saw him a number of times from maybe a fortnight before Chuck died? It could be nothing but that's really the only remotely noteworthy thing I can think of..."

As soon as Kevin had started speaking, Betty had pulled her notebook out of her bag, beginning to scrawl frantically into her notebook.

Then, for the first time today, Betty gives her friend a genuine smile as she puts her pen down on her notepad.

"Thank you! That's great information. I'll look into that and see if there's anything to it. Have you told your dad about it?"

Kevin shakes his head, only furthering Betty's smile at feeling a step ahead in the investigation, with fresh information at her disposal.

"No, not really... That's still not a frequent topic of discussion between my dad and I and before you asked me, I'd never even really thought of it having any bearing on Chuck's death."

Betty nods, returning to scrawling on her notepad with renewed enthusiasm as she records every detail she's receiving from Kevin, as well as a few thoughts and leads that are coming to her off the top of her head.

However, the only thing that distracts her from her tunnel-vision focus on what Kevin is telling her is when another fellow student walks past, to which Betty puts her pen and paper down, calling over to her to investigate another avenue that she had been meaning to pursue.

Since recovering from her meltdown a little earlier, Betty has come back swinging.

"Hey Ethel, have you got a minute?"

The other girl gives Betty a smile and a nod, proceeding to join her and Kevin on the single-seater beside the lounge.

"Of course... How are you? I heard about Jughead... I'm really sorry, Betty."

Betty remains silent as she gives Ethel a small, forced smile in response to the reminder of her husband's arrest, appreciating her friend's best intentions, but just proceeding with what she called her over for.

"I've been hoping to have a word with about you about what you know and what you reported about Chuck's death."

"Oh, okay" Ethel says in understanding. "Ask me anything, but I don't know too much -or anything, really- about Chuck's death. You see, I've been trying to exercise more and walk around the woods twice a day. So, after there was a call out for information and numerous sets of footprints were mentioned on the walking track, I thought I should mention that mine were likely to have been one set of the footprints around that area, if it helps the case out. "

Betty notes down the detail that Ethel is telling her before her gaze flies back over to the other girl.

"I see... Do you know anymore than that? Do you know who any of the other sets of footprints they could belong to? Did Sheriff Keller tell you whether your footprints were in fact found nearby where he died?"

Ethel shakes her head empathetically.

"No, I'm sorry Betty, but I'm not too sure... I wouldn't have any idea of who else the footprints could belong to because I only ever walk alone and Sheriff Keller never followed up with me after I reported that."

Betty nods, continuing to scrawl the detail that she's telling her down as she gives her friend a small smile of appreciation for the detail that she has divulged.

"Thanks anyway, Ethel. Can you be sure to let me know if and when you do find out anything else?"

Ethel nods in response to Betty's request with a small smile.

"Of course..."

However, just as soon as their conversation is wrapping up and before Betty has a chance to so much as smile after Ethel's agreement, Betty's attention is distracted and pulled away from both Ethel and Kevin, as well as her intense investigative efforts when her two best friend's re-enter the room, with Archie holding her daughter in his arms.

"Oh, my baby girl..." Betty smiles as she holds her arms out to take her daughter from Archie the moment that they come into sight.

Archie returns the baby to her mother as Betty presses a kiss to the very top of Emi's head.

Then, with a satisfied sigh, Betty takes a deep breath as she relishes in the feeling of being in a much better frame of mind than when Archie and Veronica had first left to take Emi on the walk with them; possibly the best since Jughead's arrest...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is still patiently reading after her mini hiatus. There's not long left, now! Two, possibly three chapters if I split the last chapter seeing as it's almost 10,000 words.
> 
> Also, don't forget to vote on my poll to put your guess over who killed Chuck! The poll is on the top of the bio of my FanFiction account, where I'm also RiverHeadCF
> 
> Next chapter: A feud intensifies and erupts between the students at school after Jughead's arrest. Then, after going through every detail and every suspect explicitly, Betty finally makes a break through.


	49. The Eye Of The Storm

**CHAPTER FORTY NINE: The Eye Of The Storm**

With Jughead having been arrested barely a day earlier, Betty should  _not_  have been at school that day...

Her mum knew it, her friends knew it and deep down, Betty herself knew it. However, going to school and pretending like everything is fine and normal had been the lesser of two evils in Betty's mind, seeing it as a welcome distraction from thinking about where her husband is.

After the morning break between classes, Betty had an English lesson that resulted in her standing out in the hallway for the majority of as she tried to settle her screaming daughter. After getting absolutely nothing out of that class, she Emi a feed right in time for class changeover which meant a free study period for Betty.

Then, unlike her earlier lesson, little Emi was an absolute angel for Betty by sleeping through that entire lesson and until right before lunchtime, allowing Betty to pour all her attention out onto her research and her own investigation into Chuck's death, rather than her school work that she  _should_  be working on. However, Betty doesn't think that she  _could_  be working on what she should be and the homework that needs her attention even if she wanted to.

After all, as a result of her sleep deprivation from struggling to stop her racing thoughts for long enough to fall sleep, from having to manage Emi's wakeups on her own throughout the night and without Jughead to take turns with and seeing as she hadn't been able to eat or drink properly out of worry for her husband since his arrest, Betty's attention is difficult to wrangle and it's near-impossible to steer it away from her wholehearted focus on the investigation into Chuck's death.

It's like a fixation. She can feel almost all of her energy being consumed entirely by her constant thoughts over the investigation... She's  _consumed_  by her brainstorming of what leads she can look into next and her ongoing summation of what she already knows.

Pulling out the same notebook that she had been scrawling into earlier during her conversations with Kevin and Ethel, Betty opens to a new page. Then, she proceeds to spend the remainder of her free period and up until lunchtime, scrawling away fiercely, with any and every little detail that comes to her find being added to the paper. She's writing frantically, desperately trying to find some small anomaly or a tiny detail that would exonerate Jughead and reveal the true killer on the page that all begins with a heading:

* * *

_**Who killed Chuck? What I know:** _

**JUGHEAD**

**MOTIVE**  – Vengeance

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – He was out for a walk (with Emi) a short time before Chuck's death.

 **COMMENTS**  – He  **didn't**  do it.

* * *

**MY PARENTS**

**MOTIVE**  – Just as much motive as Jug.

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – Said that they didn't leave the house until they left for work the following morning.

 **COMMENTS**  – I never heard them leave. But, if they were working together then that could explain the multiple sets of footprints on the track near where Chuck's body was found?

* * *

**ARCHIE**

**MOTIVE**  – Revenge for me, especially because of his guilt over the night of the dance.

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – He said he was sleeping, so opportunity/alibi are flimsy.

 **COMMENTS**  – God, I hope not.

* * *

**VERONICA**

**MOTIVE**  – She'd not long found out what Chuck did. She was the leader of the last takedown with Chuck, just took it too far this time?

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – Unknown.

 **COMMENTS**  – She's protective but I don't think she's capable of murder. However, the Lodge's do have connections...

* * *

**FP**

**MOTIVE**  – He roughened Chuck up once before. Plus, we had visited him the day Chuck died, telling him about when Chuck kidnapped Emi as well as the fact that he had filed paternity suit and was going to go for custody against us.

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – He had a pretty solid alibi at the Whyte Worm.

 **COMMENTS**  – Might not have been FP, but did he enlist a Serpent? A lot of Serpents are unaccounted for, plus he'd have authority over them... Joaquin perhaps? Did they work together like cleaning up after Jason?

* * *

**KEVIN**

**MOTIVE**  – Maybe vengeance for me, but wouldn't have thought his motive would be  _that_  strong?

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – Unknown.

 **COMMENTS**  – Really his only connection is cruising in the woods. However, he would be right under Sheriff Keller's nose. I honestly don't think he could do it, though.

* * *

**ETHEL**

**MOTIVE**  – Revenge after the rumours that Chuck had spread about her. Mind you, that was almost two years ago and justice had been served for his actions after that.

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – Unknown.

 **COMMENTS**  – Like Kevin, connection only just to the scene of the crime, with her footprints possibly nearby from her daily walks through the woods. Like Kev, I really can't see Ethel doing it.

* * *

**CHUCK'S FAMILY**

**MOTIVE**  – Blossom family 2.0? Did they know what he did to me?

 **OPPORTUNITY/ALIBI**  – Unknown.

 **COMMENTS**  – I mean Clifford killed Jason...

* * *

**EVIDENCE** **:**

  * COD: Blunt force trauma after a fatal blow to the back of his head. Most likely a large rock or stone, or could have been some hard, rigid item. No sign of the murder weapon at the scene.
  * Killer would have been standing close to him for the force of the murder weapon to kill him instantly.
  * No other signs of struggle apart from older bruises, possibly from his fist fight with Archie at school earlier that week.
  * Several sets of footprints, one set possibly Ethel's.
  * His last phone call was 4 PM that day, to his lawyer.
  * Notes on his phone were found, ranging in the time that they were written from between 8:30 until 10:30. They were mostly about lines of argument and thoughts he had regarding the paternity suit and his fight for custody of Emi.
  * Does the lingering man that Kevin saw have any bearing?
  * Last known person to see him alive was Alison Clayton who saw him earlier that day until he left the house at around 8 PM where he filled his car with petrol and then a few establishment owners when he bought dinner at the diner beside the petrol station.
  * None of his personal belongings are believed to have been taken. His phone and wallet were found on him.



* * *

**CONCLUSION:**

... Who the hell did it?

* * *

#

By lunchtime, Betty is so consumed by her investigation that she doesn't notice the fingers pointing at her, the whispers of people surrounding her, the unimpressed looks and the air of judgment encompassing her.

From where Betty and her friends are standing together, deciding where to eat their lunches today, one of Chuck's friends, Hayden Lewis, who had been on the team with him takes a few steps closer to Betty with his arms crossed and tight.

"What the hell are you doing here? I can't believe the nerve that you have to show your face around here after Jughead was arrested for murdering our classmate and friend."

Instantly, Betty holds her daughter closer and tighter in her arms protectively, focusing on Emi before she replies to her classmates taunts.

However, before Betty has a chance to say a word, Archie is standing in front of her, holding a hand out to the guy who he used to be teammates on the Bulldogs with.

"Back off. Leave her alone. Jughead's innocent."

Hayden scoffs, shooting Betty a disgusted look as he shakes his head, only ignoring Archie's hand that's out and telling him to step back as he only takes a step closer.

Then, despite Archie's warning, a few other Bulldogs begin to gather around, standing either beside or behind Hayden in what is quickly becoming a face-off between Betty and her friends and the other Bulldogs who are being led by Hayden. With the support of his team-mates, he speaks up again and bellows out more poison, throwing his arms around to emphasize his point.

"Why the hell is the school letting you walk around here like nothing happened?!"

While she holds Emi tightly against her chest, this time Betty manages to get a word in first, standing up for herself and feeling far stronger than she had just a few hours earlier that day when the same whispers and taunts got to her.

"I have just as much right to be here as you do. Do  **not**  make me and my family the bad guys after everything, I'm warning you."

The smug smirk is etched into his face as his crossed arms only tighten further. It's not hard to see why he and Chuck were friends.

"Or you'll  _what_?"

This time, it's Veronica who jumps in to bat for Betty, bounding towards Hayden like a ferocious Rottweiler until there are just centimetres between them as she looks up to him with a pointing finger and fierce glare.

"You don't want to know what. Because, the thing is, it won't  **just**  be Betty that will be after you if you don't stop harassing her and her family! That is a  _promise_  and I swear on Chuck Clayton's grave that you do not want to find out what I for one am capable of when it comes to protecting my friends."

Hayden is unfazed by Veronica's taunts, just laughing her off as he glances between his fellow Bulldogs, sniggering at her attempts that he's intentionally trying sabotage the ferocity of, despite the fact that her threats  _aren't_  empty.

Then, he turns back to the girls, Hayden addresses Betty as he looks between her and Veronica menacingly.

"Guess what? You're not the only one who has friends to defend. I have to defend mine, too, especially seeing as he's dead. So, go on, tell me what you'll do..."

There's a ripple of noise in agreement from the Bulldog's backing Hayden. However, no-one from Betty's side -herself included- has a chance to speak up in reply to him before he continues speaking and taunting Betty.

"Oh, will you just off me like you did Chuck?! Wait... Did the two of you plan it out together?! That poor baby with parents like that... Oh, but that's right. It was Chuck's baby too. Is that why Jughead killed him? Just eliminate the competition? Is that it?"

Betty takes a deep breath, trying to swallow the difficulty of Hayden's words and the reminder of her daughter's connection to Chuck. However, taking a deep breath and hugging Emi just the littlest bit tighter in her arms, Betty drops a loving kiss to the top of her baby's head before speaking up, sounding strong and convinced.

"What an awful thing to say... Jughead is her father and  _neither_  of us did it!"

Hayden looks between his friends and teammates standing beside and behind him, looking between them for moral support as they pat his back and egg him on, urging him to continuing speaking up and fighting against Betty and her supporters.

"Yeah right... Deny it all you want, but  _everyone_  knows it. And that's what got him killed isn't it? Just the day before he died he was pushing to be rightfully acknowledged as her father and then next thing he's dead. At least Jughead's in jail for it now, as he should be..."

While Betty herself wants to say something in response and Veronica, too, is chewing at the bit to speak up, it's Archie who jumps in first this time, standing between the two groups as he tries to level with his teammate and persuade him to back down  _before_  the confrontation in the middle of the hallway reaches the point of no return.

"Back down, Hayden... Come on, just back down. None of this is going to change anything."

As the Bulldog shakes his head, defiantely refusing Archie's white flag, the crowd surrounding the two sides continues to grow with more and more people rallying behind Betty and her side along with the odd person and the occasional girlfriend standing by their boyfriend's sides with the Bulldogs.

"No! No way am I backing down from this. Jughead is a murderer and the Dogs and I aren't just going to forget what he did to Chuck, killing him in cold blood and just leaving him out there. Mind you, I'm surprised his deadbeat dad didn't give him a few pointers on how to get rid of the body like Jason's, too. Like father, like son, hey?"

This time, it's Cheryl who steps forward from where she's standing on Betty's side, with just Veronica standing between them. As the ferocious red-head speaks up, she comes to both Betty and her families defence, with the term 'family' extending a little further beyond what many other people in that group may realise, in order for it to apply to Betty and her own family.

"Back off! Don't you dare speak about  _my_  family like that! Do it and I swear you'll regret it. Add me to the list of people to watch your back around. You and all your little friends are going to have to sleep with one eye closed."

Despite the look on Cheryl's face that says that she's not joking around and she truly means every word that she's saying, Hayden just shrugs it off, taking a step towards her icy glare before pointing towards Betty.

"I don't care about your family. My friend is  _dead_  because of Betty and Jughead. Whoever it was and however they did it, Chuck is still dead because of them."

As the group rallying behind Betty grows in both size and confidence, it is Ethel this time who speaks up on Betty's behalf, being obliged to come to her side after all that she and Veronica had done for her in seeking justice against Chuck's slander a little over a year ago.

"Do not blame, Betty! He was not a good person; he didn't care about girls, not Betty, not anyone. How would you like it if it was your sister, your girlfriend, your cousin? Imagine  _them_  being approached by someone that they know, someone they trust, having him walk right up to them and take advantage of them. Imagine how  _they_  would feel... Then, imagine that being spread around and boasted about like it's all just a big joke afterwards. You have no idea what Betty went through! She is so incredibly strong for what she has been through, for what Chuck put her through. How dare you harass Betty and slander Jughead for what they have endured because of  _your_  friend."

Ethel's sudden surge in courage as she speaks up on her friend's behalf, repaying the favour for Betty, elicits a few woops and claps from her fellow classmates who are rallying behind Betty along with a few others that are just watching the fight from the sidelines and on neutral ground. In fact, a few girlfriend's slink over to Betty's side, along with their Bulldog counterparts after Ethel's argument, too.

However, despite the effectiveness of Ethel's counter-argument, it doesn't deter Hayden and it doesn't silence him.

"Look, the fact of the matter is that Chuck didn't deserve to die... If it wasn't for  **you** , Betty, if it wasn't for all of this, Chuck would still be here right now."

Betty is about to speak up and she's about to honestly agree with him over the fact that for all he did and all the pain that he had brought upon her and her family, Hayden is right. She too believes that Chuck didn't deserve to die for it.

However, before Betty has a chance to speak up, Archie beats her to it, getting in first and with a far less mild response than what she had been planning to begin with.

"Of course he had it coming. He raped Betty and he hurt other girls, too. He deserved to die for what he did to Betty. And, while it wasn't either Jughead or Betty who killed him in the end, whoever the hell did do it wasn't a murderer; they just served justice."

The fury is instantly evident on Hayden's face from Archie's comment that takes the heated debate to the next level, flaring matters up. After all, while Hayden had managed to keep his cool throughout the argument, Archie's comment about his friend results in his teammate suddenly lunging at him, grabbing him by the scuff of his collar.

However, thankfully it is just moments after the fight becomes physical between two of the main ringleaders when teachers begin to arrive, having caught wind of the argument, spreading throughout the crowds and breaking the clear divide between students on Betty's side and those on the Bulldogs...

#

After her day at school, following a very quick detour home, Betty headed straight for the Sheriff's office where her husband was being kept locked up in the local jail cells.

Betty had been going to bring Emi along with her too, but she didn't want anyone or anything to distract her from the limited time she had with her husband.

As they hold hands through the cells, Jughead strokes hers gently and lovingly, watching her intently as she focuses on detailing everything they already know, relaying it all to him as he delicately twists her wedding band and engagement ring on her finger over and over again.

He watches her brows furrow and tighten as she speaks of the parts of Chuck's death that don't add up or the clues that make sense. He watches the light that spreads across her face as she tells him of what she's learnt today and especially about what Kevin had told her. He watches the hazy mystique that he had fallen in love with as they explored Jason Blossom's murder together, seeing the intrigue on her eyebrows, the focus and the intent in her eyes and the slight frustration on her pursed lips.

Then, all of a sudden, Betty is mid-sentence as she goes over the detail, while sharing all that she knows and all that she has learnt when he sees the sudden change in her face. Out of nowhere and all of a sudden, her beautiful green eyes dilate widely and her jaw drops just a little, but visibly, as the entire expression on her face changes to one that he's only ever seen  _once_  before.

With a slight shake to her voice, Betty speaks up in a low whisper, uttering the words that just stay between the two of them.

"Oh my god, Juggie... I think that I know who killed Chuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On my fanfiction profile page, I have added a survey giving readers the chance to vote on who you think did it. I've reset the survey on my profile page so that you can all have one last chance to vote on who you think the killer is just before the reveal. I'm very curious to know what and who you all think...  
> The link is: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/9180675/RiverHead-CF
> 
> Thanks to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. I hope you liked Betty's detective efforts in this one along with the showdown at school.
> 
> Next chapter: The penultimate chapter! All will be revealed in the next one...


	50. After The Storm: Part One

**CHAPTER FIFTY: After The Storm Part One**

Giving Jughead a quick kiss through the bars of his cell, Betty quickly races off partway through her visit to him, leaving him reeling and racking his brain with the last thing she told him being: " _Oh my god, Juggie... I think that I know who killed Chuck",_ followed by a single name.

After telling him the name in a whisper, Betty doesn't hang around to explain her suspicions or to share what clues have drew her to her conclusion.

She has tunnel-vision, after all, setting her sights on the light at the end of the tunnel and the hope that she's going to be able to free her husband and clear him of his wrongful charges.

 _The end is in sight_.

While Betty is fixated on proving or disproving her theory, it leaves Jughead rehashing what they know, desperately trying to determine what had led Betty to the conclusion that she had reached before she left him without so much as a  _word_  of explanation after uttering one name... He is stumped.

However, it's not all that surprising seeing as the revealing clue is one that only Betty herself could uncover...

#

After leaving the small town's lock up, Betty immediately sets to work, determining what will be the safest and most effective way of confronting the truth and the only other person who knows the truth of what happened that night.

While Betty doesn't believe that she has another Clifford Blossom on her hands, she still does take precautions and ensures that she's going to carry her plan out in the safest way possible.

So, as she briefly rushes home, Betty checks on Emi who is grizzling her way through tummy-time under Alice's supervision, before equipping herself of a packet of coffee biscuits and Jughead's phone that had been left on their bedside table after his arrest. With Jughead's phone concealed but positioned securely near the top of the bag, Betty also ensures that her own phone can be opened immediately to her emergency contacts or Sheriff Keller who are just a tap away if things go pear-shaped.

Crouching down to her daughter on her play-mat that had taken over her families living room, Betty presses a gentle kiss to Emi's plump little cheek, saying goodbye to her baby before whispering the words of reassurance for both of them in her ear.

"Bye baby girl... I'll be home soon, sweetheart. I'm going to bring daddy home to us."

Then, just before she leaves, Betty tells her parents exactly where she is going, telling them to send for help and assume that something has gone wrong if she's not back in an hour. Almost as soon as the last word slips from Betty's lips, she rushes off, not waiting around for her mother's overprotective lecture to stop her from her mission at hand...

#

Approaching the front door of the Riverdale local, Betty takes a big, deep breath in a feeble attempt to calm the nervous butterflies within her stomach. She can feel the weight of knowing just how much is riding on her one chance to get it right, provided that she's even  _correct_  in her suspicions.

Taking steady but strong strides towards the door, Betty pauses for just a moment. She allows herself to take one more deep breath to calm her nerves and she allows herself a little time to fix the Cooper smile firmly on her face, despite the feeling to the contrary that is churning within her.

After just a few moments of waiting following her first, strong knock -despite what  _feels_  like a hundred years later- Betty is just about to knock again when she is stopped by the sound of approaching footsteps, the unlocking of a doors deadbolt and the creak of the opening door, revealing a warm smile.

"Oh, hi Betty! How are you? What are you doing here?"

Betty does her best to return the smile, casually holding up the biscuits that she had brought along with her as she takes another deep breath to push through her nerves before replying.

"Hey Ethel... Do you have time for a coffee? I wanted to thank you for what you did and the way you stood up for me yesterday."

"Of course I do! That would be lovely. Come on in..."

With a smile, Ethel steps back from the door, holding it open to her friend as she allows her to walk in and follow after her into her house.

"Thanks Ethel. Now I'm sorry but I won't be able to stay for too long... I have to be back to feed Emi and I told my mum that I'd be home in time for dinner in an hour's time."

Betty mentions the detail so briefly and casually, but she does so early in the piece so that if things  _do_  happen to take a turn for the worst in the following minutes, Ethel knows that her whereabouts is known and that her return is expected. However, Ethel just nods at Betty's explanation, giving her a kind smile.

Then, after leading her visitor to the dining room, Ethel asks Betty what she'd like to drink, fussing around busily for a few moments with serving up the biscuits that Betty brought which go untouched before she brings two searing hot mugs over from the kitchen.

"There you go" Ethel murmurs, placing the tea that Betty had requested down in front of her as she takes a seat with her own coffee.

It's only  _after_  she takes a seat and looks to her friend sitting beside her when Ethel's smile begins to waver upon noting the way that Betty takes an uncomfortably deep breath from where she's seated at the table.

"Ethel? I have to ask you something..."

The smile on the redhead's face begins to fade, being quickly replaced by panic as her nostrils flare a little and she tries to inhale calm, deep breaths, failing miserably.

Then, her head begins to shake, side-to-side, ever so slowly...

Ethel is already denying what Betty hasn't even had a chance to say, because she knows  _exactly_  what Betty's about to say.

The look on Betty's face just softens. Then, there's another deep breath as Betty tilts her head warmly as she looks to the girl sitting beside her. However, despite the kindness and understanding on Betty's face, her phone doesn't shift from where it is pressed firmly within her sweaty palm.

"It was you, Ethel... Wasn't it?"

With the last six words that Betty has unleashed and released into the open, Ethel's head just begins to shake steadily, going on and on without letup as Betty watches her earnestly, silently imploring her to speak the truth and to change her non-verbal answer to the question that she had raised.

For the longest time, Betty sits there silently, watching her friend intently as she continues to shake her head back and forth. Betty hopes that the two of them won't just sit there in a stand-off until one party caves in and surrenders, because Betty knows for certain that the person who surrenders first certainly will  **not**  be  _her_.

"Come on, Ethel...  _Talk to me_. You didn't mean to do it, did you?"

Betty's question only increases the pace of Ethel's steady headshakes, tears beginning to brim her eyes as she finally speaks up again for the first time in minutes.

"No! No, it wasn't me! I didn't ki-kill Chuck. No... No! I didn't mean to."

Betty can see that Ethel is growing visibly distressed and worked up. Her breathing is becoming erratic and raspy and she is beginning to hyperventilate just as Betty holds a hand out, giving her friend's own hand a squeeze of comfort.

"Of course you didn't mean to, Ethel.  _I believe you_. It was just a mistake, wasn't it? But you know what happened to Chuck, don't you?"

Then, after entire minutes of shaking her head back and forth with resistance and tear-filled eyes, Ethel finally  _nods_.

#

Before confronting Ethel, Betty didn't know  _exactly_  what happened...

She didn't know exactly what transpired that night and she didn't know exactly what had resulted in Chuck lying on the ground, with a fatal blow to the head.

However, as she worked through the intricate details of the investigation that she has been living and breathing over the last few weeks, and even more so since her husband's arrest, the final piece that slotted into the puzzle for Betty was the one detail that was personal to  _her_...

That single clue was the detail that -when connected to opportunity and what was already known- resulted in the lethal combination.

So, while she didn't know the specific details, nor did she know the reason  _why_ , Betty was convinced that she had found the person responsible...

#

The evening of the third of January had marked the night of a simple accident that would go on to ruin one teenager's life and end another's.

However, it was Chuck Clayton's  _own_  actions that would ultimately be what would go on to end his life...

The chain of events began with Chuck leaving the house at around eight that night. In the hours prior to that, he had spent almost all of his time focusing on the paternity suit and the custody battle that he had ignited and struck the match on just days earlier.

Looking through Chuck's computer's history and his phone records, it was quite apparent that he had spent his final day making good of his vow to fight Jughead and Betty. That day he had spent hours upon hours researching, calling his lawyer and looking into the legalities of the paternity suit and custody battle that he had filed just days earlier.

His break from his intensive research had only come at around eight that night when he walked out the front door of his family's home and sais goodbye to his mother for what would be the very last time.

From there, he had made his way to the petrol station on the outskirts of Riverdale, filling his car with petrol and buying a bacon and egg sandwich for dinner from the adjacent diner. Chuck's bank records explained these movements, further corroborated by the owners who vaguely remembered serving the athletic, African American teenager that evening before he walked out the doors, being seen for one of the last times.

However, from there, Sheriff Keller had hit a wall in his investigation.

After Chuck walked out of that diner, Sheriff Keller couldn't understand whether he had ended up in the nearby Eversgreen Forest of his own accord, whether he had an arranged meeting with someone for that night or whether he had been coerced, or, tricked there.

However, the truth of the matter is in fact far simpler than any stretched conspiracy theory...

That night, after leaving to buy petrol and get himself some dinner, Chuck had decided he wasn't quite ready to go home yet. So, having spent most of the day sedentarily, the athlete had been craving the idea of a walk in the nearby woods to stretch his legs, get some fresh air, and, maybe even go for a bit of a jog to get his heart rate going.

However, while he had escaped from his room, his laptop and the web-pages that he had spent the entire day researching extensively and wishing that he'd paid a little more attention during Legal Studies, Chuck was  _still_  brainstorming ideas. So, after walking through the woods, he came to the river's edge, sitting by the water for a little while as he stopped to take notes on his phone of all the thoughts he'd had and the ideas that he'd come up with during his walk and short jog, before preparing to head back and return to his car.

 _That_  had been what led Chuck Clayton to that forest on that night.

Meanwhile, on the very same walking track, in the very same forest and on the very same night, Ethel Muggs had been going for her second walk for the night in the woods that are within walking distance of her home.

After all, she hadn't felt tired enough to try and sleep just yet and she hadn't forgotten the regrettable doughnut that she'd consumed earlier that was still hanging around in the back of her mind.

While the two of them had been unknowingly sharing Eversgreen Forest with the other for a little over an hour, neither of them had any idea of the other's presence until they crossed paths not far from the river's edge.

Upon hearing the crunch of leaves beneath another person's foot, Ethel had wrapped her arms around herself, tightening her jacket as her eyes widened warily with greater caution than she had shown throughout the entirety of her walk thus far.

Chuck had seemed to see her first, making a remark that to this day Ethel is unsure whether he had intended for it to sound so eerie. However, having known what she did about him and being aware of his track record, she was on high alert, cursing herself that she'd left her phone on charge at home.

" _So, whoever said that the nightlife in Riverdale is so boring, hey?"_

In hindsight, it probably wouldn't have mattered  _what_  Chuck had said to Ethel in that moment but knowing what she knows about him, she most likely  _still_  would have felt the fearful shiver that had scaled its way up her spine as a result of the darkness, the isolated spot and the man that had been standing just a little more than a metre from her.

After Chuck had spoken, Ethel remained completely  _silent_. She was just about holding her breath, as she failed to utter even a single word in response to Chuck. Rather, as she felt the unmistakable pulsing of nerves within her, she had tried to steady her heart that was pounding in fear by taking a few slow steps backwards, trying to back away slowly and discreetly. However, her actions hadn't silenced Chuck whatsoever.

"So, what are you doing here, Ethel? Are you okay? We can talk if you want..."

She watched him with wide, dilated eyes after he spoke up. Ethel couldn't read Chuck or the look on his face. She couldn't tell whether she was seeing genuine concern or whether she was being set up to be snared by the same violence as Betty had been.

Either way, as her heart beats out of her chest, Ethel didn't plan on sticking around to find out. Instead, she had continued to take a few more steps back, watching him intently as she tried to create more and more distance between them.

"Stay away from me, Chuck...  _Please_ , just stay away."

Once she finally managed to create a few metres of distance between them, Ethel had been just about ready to turn away and race off from him when she heard the approaching footsteps following behind and after her, triggering the series of events that flashed by within seconds and in the mere blink of an eye...

There was a hand reaching out for a girl and there was another hand pushing back against the boy. However, in the darkness and from the haste, both hands  _missed_...

Rather than hitting his hand that had been reaching out for her -his hand that she had been aiming to push away- she had missed and she had struck straight into his chest instead.

There had been a forceful push, driven and powered on by the adrenaline rush of pure fear which resulted in a shove that was far harder and stronger than what she could have calculated...

There was the impact of the push, there was a total loss of footing for a young man on the rocky track below and there was a short fall to the ground...

There was a sickening thump followed by total  _silence_ , the unknowning victim having died instantly as a result of the blow and blunt force trauma to the head from the rock lodged on the ground below...

Then, there was nothing that could have been done.

#

As Ethel concludes telling Betty her side of the story, she takes a shaky breath as Betty gives her friend's hand a little squeeze. She has no idea that not only has she just revealed the entire truth to Betty, but  _also_  to Jughead's phone in Betty's bag that had been recording the entire thing...

She's just finished explaining how she got to be in Eversgreen Forest on the night of the fifth of January and she's just finished explaining the purely accidental turn of events that had lead to the fatal blow.

She's just finished explaining the fact that when she ran off and fled the scene of the crime, she hadn't realised the severity of the push at first and she hadn't realised that Chuck had never got back up from the fall. However, the moment of total silence that followed Chuck's fall, along with the fact that there were no footsteps or movement that followed behind her played on her mind all night...

She's just finished explaining how the haunting echo of the single thump played over and over again in her mind, stopping her from falling to sleep.

She's just finished explaining how at around 1:30 the following morning she had gotten up again, she had seen Chuck's car at the petrol station near her house and she had made her way back to the very same spot that she had ran from hours earlier during the previous night.

She's just finished explaining how it was only when she returned to the scene of the crime to assess the damage when she realised what had happened between them and it was only then she realised what she'd done; not to mention, that she was far too late.

She's just finished explaining about the missing murder weapon; the hard, sharp rock that Chuck had hit his head on, the murder weapon that had never been found.

She's just finished explaining that in the darkness and when she had returned to the scene, Ethel had accidentally touched the rock that caused Chuck's death as she crouched down, learning that he was not just unconscious, he was  _dead_. So, in a moment of panic when she was already hyperventilating over discovering that she had returned to a lifeless body, Ethel picked up the rock that had been lodged beneath Chuck's head; the bloodied rock that hadn't moved as his skull came down, falling onto it with great force.

She's just finished explaining how in a moment of haste and with the fear pounding through her, Ethel took the rock that was not only covered in Chuck's blood, but now her fingerprints, too, throwing it in the nearby Sweetwater River, realising that the chances of finding it again was now just one in a million; like a needle in a haystack.

And, she's just finished explaining how in her panic, she left the scene. She knew it was too late to get any help for Chuck and she was filled with the fear that no one would believe her. Consequently, she's just finished explaining that the weight of her fears was what had held her back and stopped her from calling the sheriff right then and there, fearing that she'd be pinned for  _murder_  rather than  _manslaughter_  by admitting her own involvement in Chuck's death voluntarily...

Ethel has just finished explaining  _all_  of it and admitting to  _all_  of it to both Betty and unknowingly to Jughead's phone that has recorded the entire thing.

After all, she knew that there was no point in denying it. She knew that Betty's confrontation wouldn't have been inspired by some far-fetched guess. She knew that she was the same girl who had helped solve Jason Blossom's murder and who had tracked down the Black Hood. And, in all honesty, Ethel had needed to speak up and confide in someone about the truth that had been harder and harder to keep concealed as time went by...

"So how did you know that I did it?"

Betty takes a deep breath, rubbing her hands together as she prepares to explain the path of logic and thinking that had led her to the conclusion of who else had been in the woods on the night of Chuck's death.

"I knew you mentioned that your footprints were found around the scene; that could have been purely coincidental. You never mentioned an alibi for that night but again, that didn't necessarily mean that you were guilty. However, the thing that gave it away to me was what you said when you were defending me at school earlier today."

Ethel nods slowly, with a curious look on her face. Her lip is still quivering fearfully as she calms down from her tears.

"What do you mean?"

"It was the way that you described it... Being confronted and approached face-on, by someone you know and someone you should trust. You described the exact way that Chuck had approached me and I understood the way you said to imagine that feeling when you were speaking up to everyone else...  _That_  was when I realised that it wasn't just an off-the-cuff comment. It wasn't you empathising with me and standing up for me. It was exactly like my attack. I realised that you'd  _felt_  that fear too. And, it didn't match up with the same details that you'd given me about the first time Chuck had spread the rumours about you."

As her eyes fill with tears and she begins to tremble fearfully again, Ethel nods slowly at hearing the reminder of that awful night which had ultimately been her undoing.

"I'm not a murderer, Betty... I only tried to push his arm away and everything just fell apart from there... I didn't mean to hurt him and I  _certainly_  didn't mean to kill him. I was absolutely terrified and I was only trying to protect myself."

Betty's green eyes widen in sympathy and understanding as she extends a hand out to take Ethel's, giving it a kind and reassuring squeeze.

"I  _believe you_  that it was self-defence... The courts will understand that. The jury will see that, Ethel. Chuck had priors... He'd spread rumours about you and Veronica, and he hurt me. That's just what we  _know_... Chuck was an evil person whose actions and the fear he inspired in people ultimately ended his life."

However, despite Betty's soft and gentle words of reassurance, Ethel just shakes her head. Tears are filling her eyes even more rapidly at the mention of courts and juries, the reality of her situation that she'd managed to hide away from for weeks finally coming to light.

"I  _can't_  confess, Betty... No one will believe me. They'll think it was revenge for the rumours he spread about me in the past... I'll be locked up for something that I never meant for. I was only trying to protect myself!"

This time there's more desperation in Betty's words and eyes as she watches Ethel intently, imploring her to speak up and to speak the truth of the manslaughter that is being pinned on her husband as murder.

"Ethel,  _please_... I believe you that it was a mistake, but my husband is being treated like a murderer because of this. You  _need_  to tell Sheriff Keller exactly what you've just told me."

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean for Jughead to get caught up in this... No one was supposed to be convicted. But I can't hand myself in. No one will believe me, Betty. I'll be done for murder."

Just like she had earlier in the conversation when she had initially tried to deny her involvement in Chuck's death, Ethel's head continues to shake. It's as if she is running on autopilot.

"Please Ethel.  _Please_. Please tell the police. Please tell them it was an accident. Please tell them what  _really_  happened..."

"I  _can't_ , Betty. I'll be digging my own grave by confessing to what happened."

With her efforts unsuccessful thus far, Betty takes a deep breath, realising that she's getting nowhere with imploring Ethel to speak the truth. While she  _does_  still have the ace up her sleeve, Betty feels compelled not to rely on that just yet, continuing to reason with her friend to give herself up voluntarily.

"Look, Ethel. I want to keep the truth about what happened to me from Emi. But, I promise I will testify for you to speak of the person that Chuck was if you turn yourself in. I don't want someone else to have to suffer for the result of Chuck's decisions. So, while I will avoid detailing the extent that Chuck hurt me, I will be willing to speak up about the fear from all my other encounters with Chuck. Regardless of what his intentions were the night that he died, it's his own fault that women fear him and fear what he's capable of. You were completely within your rights to defend yourself. I'll say that. I'll make sure that he is seen for the bad person he was,  _not_  you."

By this point, Ethel is distraught; tears streaming down her cheeks steadily. She's still shaking her head again and again at the upsetting mention of the legalities and court cases. So, reaching the end of her reasoning, Betty pulls out one last plea to her friend before she'll be forced to resort to her trump card.

"Just like  _you_  don't deserve to be blamed for murder when it was only self-defence, Jughead doesn't deserve to be blamed for a crime he didn't commit, either.  _Please Ethel_... You need to hand yourself in. There's a little baby girl at home who needs her dad back..."

This seems to be a turning point.

Betty's words inspire a change in Ethel's stance and her non-negotiable refusal to change her mind as she finally seems to be breaking through the walls that Ethel had put up. However, Betty isn't convinced that she'll follow through with it. So, she gives Ethel's shoulder a wordless squeeze of reassurance over the fact that she  _can_  do it.

Following this, Betty quickly stands up to leave, walking away from Ethel as she reaches the doorway of her friend's families home, far away from her friend and out of arms reach to avoid it being snatched. Only then is when Betty holds up Jughead's phone that is still counting time, recording away as it has been for the last half an hour, while preparing herself to be ready to rush off if Ethel tries to make a go for the device, given its contents.

"Look, Ethel, I've got evidence of everything we've just spoken about. The truth  _will_  come out, but I'm giving you a chance to do yourself a favour by handing yourself in and having the chance to explain the truth of what happened. Either way, the truth  **will**  come out, but I just want you to give yourself the best chance of a positive trial. Come on, Ethel... Do yourself a favour."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I'm sorry for such a gap between chapters but I've spent almost the last month overseas in a bunch of different countries where I've had little/no wifi access. Now that I'm home, I wanted to get this one up as soon as possible to compensate. Thanks for understanding. The final chapter and part two of this chapter will be up within the next few days.
> 
> Well done to everyone who picked Ethel. I actually added an extra clue or two along the way from when I first wrote it because I felt like it was too left-field. Fun fact - Archie was actually the most popular guess in the poll on my page with 44% of people voting him as who they thought the killer was. I'd love to know what you all thought of the reveal and explanation!
> 
> So, the next chapter is the last one. I will warn you all that while there will be closure in the next chapter the ending is going to leave things a little open-ended in a different sense... I'm a little nervous about the ending! Also, keep your eyes peeled for the authors note in the next chapter.
> 
> Next chapter: The final chapter of 'The Secrets Deep Within'! How will things end for Bughead and their little family?


	51. After The Storm: Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one! Be sure to read the authors note at the end!

**CHAPTER FIFTY ONE: After The Storm: Part Two**

Betty had given Ethel twelve hours to hand herself in and pay a visit to the Sheriff's office of her own accord. However, she did so within four, sending Betty a message on her way to let her know that she could likely expect for Jughead to be released soon.

Betty immediately sent the message on to her father-in-law who joined his daughter-in-law and granddaughter, arriving shortly after they do, to join them as they wait on the other side.

The three of them wait for over an hour until the doors leading from the jail cells open, revealing the free man that they are waiting to see.

With their daughter in her grandfather's arms, Betty instantly races across the room and over to her husband with a little gasp, completely ignoring the fact that Sheriff Keller is right there by their side as she greets Jughead without any hesitance or a single care in the world.

Clutching his head within her hands, Betty presses a few rough kisses to his lips, just relishing in the feeling and her relief over the fact that he's back and he's with them once again before she collapses into his body, just holding him and hugging him as she murmurs " _I love you"_  into his shoulder over and over again.

He returns her embrace, holding her tight and close to him, pressing repeated kisses to her hair as his hands run up and down her back.

Then, when the newlyweds finally escape their little bubble, slowly growing aware of the people sharing their surroundings with them, Betty and Jughead eventually pull away from their hug, holding hands as Betty's heads rests against his side. She quickly thanks Sheriff Keller for releasing her husband before the two of them walk over to their daughter and Jughead's father who are lingering in the background to allow the newlyweds to have a little space for their reunion.

Betty begrudgingly pulls herself away from Jughead for a moment, allowing him to walk over to his father where the two of them share a hug, careful for the four-month-old between them in FP's arms.

"I'm glad you're out, boy."

"Thanks dad. Me too..."

Then, just as the father and son pull away from each other Jughead's gaze lowers and his smile brightens as he reaches out for and takes his daughter from FP who had been holding Emi on the sidelines while the newlyweds were being reunited just minutes earlier.

"Hi bubba... I missed you, my sweet girl."

As Betty watches the interaction between her husband and daughter, she can see the love on Jughead's face and the excitement of Emi's.

Betty  _knows_  the list of people that Jughead takes the risk and allows himself to truly care for and love is short and selective, but Emi is most certainly right up there on that limited list. Meanwhile, Betty also knows that the list of people and faces that her daughter has just started to recognise and distinguish from others is short and limited to Betty herself, her parents and Jughead.

However, Betty can  _see_  the mutual care and love for each other in Jughead and Emi's faces as he holds her in his arms, peppering gentle kisses to the top of her head.

All of a sudden, Betty's attention is pried away from her husband and daughter as the exchange of freedom takes place across the room.

In order for her to be reunited with her husband and in order for him to regain his freedom along with his release, there had been an exchange and his place in his cell had been taken by another teenager on the other side of the room who is now being moved from the interrogation rooms to the lockup, complete with the handcuffs and guards either side of her that make her seem like the hardened criminal that she most certainly is  _not_.

So, as Betty glances across to the young woman she can't help but feel sorry for, she mouths two words from the other side of the room that she couldn't mean more...

" _Thank you."_

#

Returning home as a family of three again, Jughead had walked in the front door of the Cooper home to discover the smell of Alice cooking up his favourite meal permeating the air. FP too had been invited in to join them for dinner.

However, despite his favourite meal and a double serving of dessert, there was something else that Jughead was craving  _more_  after his short stint in the small town's jail cell. All he wants is to be lying in the comfort of the bed that he'd grown to love in a small period of time, with his wife by his side, telling him all about the days he'd missed out on and what had ultimately led her to uncovering the truth.

Consequently, as soon as he'd finished his dessert with a second piece of Alice's signature pie, Jughead excused himself, saying goodnight to his father before going upstairs to take a long shower, ridding himself of the grime that had built up more so in his mind than it had on him physically.

While Jughead showered, Betty had given Emi a feed before settling her and putting her to sleep. So, by the time that he was done, they were ready to climb into bed and cuddle up together as she told him everything that had transpired over the last few days; the drama at school, what Ethel had said and the process that had ultimately led to Betty determining the truth of what happened to Chuck before she played him the entire conversation she'd had with Ethel which she'd recorded on his phone to use as leverage.

However, despite the fact that Jughead's been long asleep -almost from the moment that his head hit the pillow once they'd stopped talking- Betty, however, can't quite seem to drift off to sleep...

By the time it comes to two in the morning and after getting up to Emi once, Betty quickly returns to the same position that Jughead had fallen asleep to, with him sleeping on his back as she lays on his chest, lying there and watching him sleep.

She knows that she should be sleeping herself. After all, she'll be up again in a few hours, firstly for Emi's early morning feed and then again in a few hours time for her alarm in order to prepare the most extravagant cooked breakfast for her husband which she hopes to have ready for him by the time he wakes up.

Though Jughead's long been asleep, Betty has spent the entire time watching him, studying his already very familiar body and features and appreciating the fact of having him home again. She's just so grateful to have him back there, with her, and to be watching him sleep so peacefully in their bed.

She can feel the emotion rising and tightening within her chest as she begins thinking of all the 'what ifs' fearing just how close they had come to different endings than the point where they are now and where they have ended up in for this moment.

What if they  _hadn't_  made up before he was arrested? Would that have only pushed them further away from each other? Could they have come back from that point?

What if Betty  _hadn't_  found the true killer and learnt the truth behind what happened to Chuck? What if a court hadn't ruled in his favour? Would Jughead have been separated from her, from Emi and been forced to serve a sentence for a crime didn't commit?

Each alternate sends a shiver of fear through Betty, making her more and more grateful for the fact that her husband is right there with her. It makes her determined to ensure that they never get to a point where either of those options is ever even a threat.

Watching him sleep, Betty is also struck by how much younger he looks right then and there. After all, at seventeen he's already young to be a husband and a father, doing his best to support their family. But, seeing him sleep, he looks even younger than that. He's still just a kid himself.

Betty's breaths grow deeper and she can feel the rising of emotion welling within her. Her eyes grow glassy as she lays there, resting on him. She's just completely overcome with emotion by the scare of losing him and she's filled with just as much emotion and gratitude to have him back where he belongs, determined not to ever take that –or him- for granted.

Then, despite all the noise and unfamiliarity that he'd been able to sleep through over the last few nights, the softest sound of his wife sniffling and holding back her tears is enough to wake Jughead up as his hazy eyes slowly begin to flicker open.

However, maybe it's not so much of a fact that he  _heard_  her sniffle. Maybe it's more so that he  _senses_  her tears...

"You okay, Betts?" Jughead croaks, releasing a long yawn.

Betty's hand instantly falls to the side of his face as she strokes his cheek lovingly, clearly concerned that her fears that are keeping  _her_  awake may have now woken him up too.

"Oh, did I wake you? I'm so sorry, Jug."

The way that she speaks followed by a sniffle as she swipes at her eye wakes Jughead up a little more, raising alarm bells that are only accentuated by the fact that she never answered his initial question.

"It's okay. But are  _you_  okay?"

From where she had been looking up and leaning against his chest, she shifts a little to lie against him more, sinking into his body as she exhales the heavy sigh that she'd been holding in.

"My mind isn't turning off."

"From what, babe?" he asks gently, talking to her in their dimly lit room as he brings a hand up to stroke through the golden locks that are cascading around her face loosely. "Talk to me..."

Betty exhales another deep sigh that had been weighing her down, relaxing to her husband's touch.

"Just from all the ' _what ifs_ ' rattling around in my mind... I just can't stop myself from thinking about what if I hadn't managed to work it out about Ethel and if you'd got a bad sentence. Then there's us... What if we hadn't managed to come back from our fight and dwindling communication and what if we hadn't reconciled after spending the night apart before you were arrested? We just got so damn close to so many different, awful endings and it absolutely terrifies me to think about that."

Nodding at what she has just confided in him about, Jughead's hand slowly trails down from where it had been delicately running through her head, extending down and following the curve of her arm soothingly.

"None of the 'what ifs' matter, Betts... You, and me, and Emi are all okay. We're all here, we're all safe... It's  _all_  okay."

"I know..." she sighs, nestling into him as her thumb delicately strokes the side of his face. "I'm just appreciating how much worse things could have gotten for us. I'm just appreciating the fact that I have you here, with me. I'm just thinking about how much I'm going to make sure I won't ever take you for granted."

With a playful little grin curling the corners of his lips, Jughead lips lightly feather over hers before pressing a kiss to her cheek as he whispers teasingly.

"Now  _that_  I'm okay with you thinking about..."

Betty smiles at her husband, stifling a giggle as she reaches down to press a kiss to his lips, pulling away with a satisfied little sigh.

"I'm just so glad you're home, Juggie... I feel bad for Ethel, but I'm just so, so glad that you're back here; that you're back with us."

Jughead smiles at her, the feeling inside him tingling. He feels warm, he feels like he's a part of a family and he feels  _loved_. They are three things that he doesn't think he will ever, ever tire of and lose his appreciation of.

However, from the way that Betty sighs again he can tell that there's something else weighing on her chest which worries Jughead as his eyebrows furrow with concern as she continues to explain what had been on her mind while she was watching him sleep as she lay awake.

"I really, really do feel for Ethel, Jug... She never intended to do that. She was scared and she was only trying to protect herself from him. Ethel had the  _right_  to do that! But it was just an awful series of events that ended with someone being killed."

Jughead nods, pulling his wife a little closer towards him as he sees the sensitivity of what she's telling him is clearly touching her, hitting a raw nerve that comes a little too close to home. So, he presses a gentle, loving kiss to her forehead as she exhales a sigh, continuing to speak and explain to him, confiding in him over what had been playing on her mind.

"You know, that could have been  _me_... If the circumstances were just a little different and the timing was just  _so_ to spark a deadly chain of events, then that just as easily could have been me pushing him over too hard as he lost his footing. Don't get me wrong, Chuck was a monster and his death came as a direct result of his own actions. But, I honestly don't know what would be worse... I honestly don't know if what happened to me or the burden of knowing I'd killed someone would be a heavier weight to carry..."

This time it's Jughead who exhales a heavy sigh as he pulls her further into him and his comforting arms as he murmurs into her loose golden waves.

He doesn't know what the right words to say are. He doesn't know what the answer to her rhetorical question is. He doesn't know what to say that's going to make her feel better. So, he doesn't address it. Rather, he just reminds her of his love and his support as they puzzle their way through the feelings and the trials that they are finding their way through, together...

"I love you, Betts."

Betty looks up at him, her eyes gentle as her smile slowly spreads across not only her closed lips but filling her entire face with warmth.

"I love  _you_."

Through the darkness the young couple exchange each other's smile, feeling the same warmth they know that the other is feeling, too. So, she nestles against his side, resting on her hand that is pressed against his chest as his hands gently run up and down her back.

They stay like this for a few minutes until Betty disrupts their silent moment with a devilish smile on her face as she lightens the touch of her hand, stroking lazy circles along his chest.

"You know, the morning that you were arrested, I  _distinctly_  remember the two of us being interrupted..."

The same smile is quick to spring to Jughead's lips, curling the corners of his mouth.

"You're right... And I know what you're like when it comes to crossing T's and dotting I's; can't leave a task incomplete. So, if you feel like we must finish off the job we started..."

Betty shoots him a sceptical glance, fighting off her amused chuckle.

"Wow... 'Finish off the job?'  _Really_? You romantic..."

However, despite her teases of her husband's terminology, Betty slowly begins to ascend from where she'd been resting against his body, slowly shifting upwards as their bodies come to be flush against each other, her fingers gently touching and teasing as they work their way upwards then downwards.

Reciprocating her initiation with a quick manoeuvre, he flips them over to change places, eliciting a giggle from Betty. However, with his in-laws downstairs and their sleeping baby in the bedroom next door, he quickly silences her as his lips come crashing down against hers...

#

**-Three and a half months later-**

Unlike poor Ethel Muggs who is facing a manslaughter charge, life for Jughead and Betty has slowly returned to normal over the months following Ethel's confession and Jughead's release.

After their brief hiccup just prior to Jughead's arrest when spending a night apart was the wakeup call they needed, the two of them have only gone from strength to strength since.  _That_  had been rock bottom, they had hit it, and they had built their marriage back up from there.

In fact, they had  _even_  managed to make it through almost every week while  _just_  encountering the normal dramas facing a typical teenager.

The two of them had graduated in the previous weeks, finally receiving the Diploma in a cap and gown that had seemed impossibly hard to attain at certain points, juggling so much more than homework and six hours of school every day as they cared for their little girl and juggled at their marriage. However, they had gotten there and they'd made it over the finish line, together.

Honestly, for Betty and Jughead it wasn't  _receiving_  their Diplomas that was their greatest achievement, it was being able to do it with Emi;  _for_  Emi. They were proud to set the example of fighting against the odds as their hard work paid off for their daughter and a future for the three of them. After all, in each one of the many, many photos that had been taken both at and after their graduation ceremony, both Betty and Jughead were far prouder to be holding their daughter in those photos, than they were their Diplomas.

Meanwhile, at nearly eight months old, Emi finally began crawling last week after a few weeks of dragging herself and trying to get herself around through a few less conventional methods.

During that time, her parents have loved watching her grow over the last few months. They've loved watching her little personality develop as she has blossomed into the easy-going but extremely determined little girl that she is.

Despite her colouring that has deepened and her lighter blonde hair that has turned into darker honey blonde curls over the previous months, Jughead says he's seeing more and more of Betty in her. He sees so much of his wife in Emi's little expressions and mannerisms and he just  _loves_  it. However, all the ways that Emi isn't like Betty nor -unsurprisingly- Jughead and all the ways that she looks like someone else, they just sees it as what makes Emi,  _Emi_.

After graduating, Jughead had taken up the full-time work that Pop Tate had offered him at  _Pop's_ after having worked part-time between juggling his family and schooling over the previous months. It wasn't his dream job and a part of it was torturous seeing others consuming the cuisine that Jughead lives for, but he was grateful for the work and the fact that he was working somewhere that was like a second home for him.

Meanwhile, Betty had taken up a greater role at  _The Register_  as an assistant editor. Working for her family's newspaper has been quite successful for her, enabling her to work from home and around caring for her daughter, often finding time to work during Emi's nap-times or once she's put down for bed for the night.

As for Betty and Jughead, once the fuss surrounding the investigation into Chuck's death slowly began to dwindle with Ethel coming forward with the truth, the nasty rumours and stigmas affecting the newlyweds began to subside also.

Really, the weight of the investigation alone being lifted had been enough to get Betty and Jughead back on track. Then, once he had been released from prison, the scare of the night that they spent apart when he had stayed next door with the Andrews mid-fight, coupled with the fright of him being falsely imprisoned for Chuck's death had seemed to spook them back into line. After all, all of a sudden, time together was no longer just a given and they'd seen the scary reality of what  _could_ be if they continued to let the little things pile up, continuing to push communicating with each other to the sidelines in terms of importance.

The two of them had also been finding ways to spend more time together as their daughter continues to grow and get older and older.

Most of the time, Betty  _still_ couldn't be too far from Emi for too long at a time but they have had a few date-nights out together or double-dates with their best friends. Too, they had put time into making the most of the little moments they can find together; sharing a punnet of ice-cream while they're cuddled up on the windowsill in their bedroom once Emi's asleep, having little picnics on the lawn of the Cooper backyard as their daughter crawls around, playing with her toys, and as many lazy mornings in bed as they can, whenever they can.

However, more than that, both Jughead and Betty have worked to make a diligent effort towards communicating more than they had been, setting time aside every morning to just stop and discuss their day ahead and to share the big things and the little things on their mind, doing the same in the evening.

Really, they just make sure that they set aside time to just talk and to listen to each other away from the distractions of life that had resulted in them being pulled away from each other in the previous months.

All in all, they'd made it through the storm and out the other side, becoming a stronger, happier and healthier couple for it, only strengthening their little family as they continue to fight against the odds.

#

It's a typical Saturday when Jughead is midway through his morning of wiping down dirty tables and placing diner food in front of people.

However, the standard chime of the overhead bell when the door opens to two very familiar faces makes his standard morning just  _that_ much better.

Glancing up, almost sensing their presence before he even sees them, Jughead's face lights up from the booth he's just finished clearing and wiping down when he sees his wife and daughter on the other side of the room, strolling across the room to reach him.

Jughead can't hide his proud grin as he sees the delight on the face of the baby his wife is carrying,  _solely_ from recognising the sight of her father across the room.

Meanwhile, as she walks the distance to Jughead on the other side of the room, Betty chuckles upon looking down to the baby in her arms, smiling at her daughter's little squeals of joy. She can actually feel Emi's little body growing tense with glee as her little legs kick against her happily, just from her excitement of seeing her dad.

While Betty is walking over to him, Jughead holds his arms out to take his baby who is literally bouncing with joy from within her mother's arms, continuing to bounce her up and down as he takes her into his arms.

"Hi bubba!" Jughead exclaims with a grin, sharing his daughter's excitement as he presses an affectionate kiss to the top of Emi's head to which the infant releases a little squeal.

While there are a lot of other sounds and noises that are right up there posing as competition, Jughead is quite sure that his favourite sound in the whole world is hearing his daughter giggle.

Jughead then turns his attention to his wife, who had been standing on the sidelines watching her husband and daughter's exchange with a warm smile and a melting heart.

"Hey, beautiful... What are you girls doing here?" he asks as he presses a brief kiss to Betty's lips as his arms sling around her.

"Someone was having a bit of a grumpy morning so I thought a walk would do us both good. Plus, it was a nice opportunity to pay daddy a visit at work."

Affectionately bouncing the baby whose smile hasn't been wiped from her little face, Jughead tickles Emi's belly before looking to Betty.

"Aw, I don't believe you that this one could be grumpy.  _Look at her_..."

"Who said I was talking about  _her_?"

Jughead chuckles pressing a kiss to his wife's cheek before his focus fixes on her with concern.

"What's up, Betts? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah... It will be."

Her words are unconvincing, especially to Jughead's trained ear. However, he senses that now is not the time or the place so he makes a mental note to revisit her unconvincing answer in hopes of hearing the real one a little later on.

Then, from where he's holding her body against his with his arm snaked around her, Betty momentarily rests her head against his taller shoulder, exhaling a little sigh as she enjoys the brief embrace with her family. Just as Jughead presses a kiss to the top of her hair, she inhales deeply, taking in the comfort of his warmth and scent. That alone is enough to be just what she needs in that moment.

"By the way, Ethel's trial is next week. We're going to need to try and find a babysitter in order for both of us to go. I was going to suggest seeing if maybe your dad could look after her? I imagine Archie and Veronica will be going and I know my parents will be there too to cover the trial for the paper."

Betty knew she'd have to take the stand as she had promised Ethel months earlier so Jughead knew that he'd be right there by her side to support her.

"If we tell him when the trial is, it should be okay with him. I'm sure he'd be happy to do it... A couple of times lately he's offered to look after her if we need a babysitter or if we want a bit of time off-duty."

From where her head is nestled against his shoulder, Betty nods in response to Jughead's answer, taking a deep breath.

After all, now that Emi is getting a little older, she is able to be pried from Betty's side and left with Jughead or her parents a little more than she could be at a younger age. However, after seven months of the mother and daughter being almost inseparable, the moments when the two of them are separated from each other is something that Betty still struggles with a little.

Consequently, that idea and the prospect of it is a little overwhelming for the young mother. After all, the idea of Emi being babysat is in addition to the way her mind is already buzzing. So, the idea, though necessary, of leaving her daughter alone with her grandfather for the very first time just adds to Betty's rapidly accumulating bundle of nerves.

As the little family of three fall to silence in the corner of  _Pop's_ , both Betty and Jughead turn their attention to their daughter as Jughead tries to crane his neck away from Emi's chubby little fingers that are grabbing at the bowtie on his  _Pop's_  uniform, like a moth to a flame.

Chuckling as he dodges his daughter's determined attempts to snatch up his bow-tie into her fist, Jughead turns to his wife, expecting to see her sharing his smile at the interactions, but the look that he  _does_  see on her face instantly sends fear pulsing through him instead.

"Betts? Are you sure you're okay?"

This time, Betty doesn't even try to hide it, knowing that she is already failing abysmally at doing so in front of her husband. So, with a deep breath, she opens up a little more honestly, though revealing little more than she already had, as she reaches out to touch his arm gently.

"Uh, Jug, we need to talk later, when you get home. Something's come up."

Even more so than he had before, Jughead fears the expression on Betty's face, worrying that it can't be a good thing. And, after the last eighteen months of bad things that they have been through together, he's not quite sure that he's going to be able to take anymore.

So, he tries to counteract his fears, hoping he's wrong, giving her a forced smile and a nervous chuckle with a pinch of light-heartedness.

"Well  _that_  sounds ominous..."

#

That night and after Jughead returned home from work, almost all of his fears and mental notes he'd made to himself to raise his fears over Betty's disposition earlier in the day fall to the back of his mind.

After all, he had returned home to a crazy, busy night at the Cooper-Jones home...

Emi had decided to try and splash in her pureed dinner instead of trying to consume it, sending orange  _everywhere_. He thinks that Hal and Alice had been having some sort of disagreement, seeing as Jughead felt the need to side-step and dodge both of his in-laws as well as any dangerous topics. Then, when Jughead had noted how pale and drawn Betty appeared, in addition to her distant and distracted mood she was in, he sent her upstairs and told her to rest as he traded places with her, offering to ensure that Emi wasn't still hungry, having splashed her meal around, before bathing her and putting her to bed.

Consequently, by the time that he eventually falls down and collapses onto to the mattress as he climbs into bed beside Betty, Jughead has almost forgotten that she had even said anything at all about needing to talk earlier that day.

As he slots into his spot beside her, she turns away, with her back facing him as they spoon and cuddle one another.

Unsure of how awake she is and not wanting to disturb her with words if she's nearly sleep, Jughead presses a gentle kiss to her shoulder that her pyjama shirt has exposed, sharing the silent little gesture of: ' _I love you'_.

Equally as silently, Betty extends a hand back, reaching out to touch whatever part of her husband she can reach in reciprocation of his gesture, with her hand eventually landing on his bicep that she gives a little squeeze.

Then, they lay there like this, holding each other and hugging each other from their peaceful little haven that is theirs and theirs alone.

Despite their mutual tiredness, both halves of the couple remain wide awake. His overtired body refuses to succumb to sleep while her buzzing mind won't let her settle as it echoes her disquieting thoughts.

Then, after a long time in the dark, Betty slowly turns herself over to lie on her other side, facing him. She knows he's still awake; he's been stroking gentle patterns on her back ever since she reached out to touch him.

In doing so and as she turns over she exposes her damp eyes and her moist cheeks that glisten in the dark from the whimpers and quietest cries that she had managed to keep to herself.

Instantly, Jughead's stomach plummets at seeing her tears and even more so from the fact that he hadn't notice them. His hand immediately flies up to the side of her face, stroking her cheek gently and lovingly.

"Betts... What's wrong?" he whispers into the night, his voice filled with concern for his wife.

Her response that follows does absolutely  _nothing_  to alleviate his fears.

"I'm scared, Juggie."

Betty's honest admission and her whispered three words bring him to sit upright with concern, sensing the depth of her fear, even through the darkness.

"Betty?"

Then, with a deep breath, Betty exhales the fear that has been consuming her... Her fear that she hopes that they'll be able to weather, like everything else that has been thrown their way over the last year-and-a-half.

"I think I might be pregnant, Jughead."

_The End_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow… Can I just say the biggest thank you so much to everyone who has joined me and the character that we all love for this ride. I hope you've enjoyed it; I sure have. Seriously, thank you so much to anyone who has read anything from one chapter to every single word of my story. Also, even more so, thank you so, very much to everyone who has posted anywhere between one to fifty two reviews. Your feedback is so valuable to me and I so appreciative of the support from readers who share their thoughts, their suggestions, their theories and their feelings on my story. Thank you!
> 
> While I am grateful for each and every one of you, I want to make special note to tinnie and violet1429. These two have been with me almost right from the start of this story and through every chapter since then.
> 
> Now, I also have some more news. For quite a while, I wasn't sure exactly how or where to end this one as I had more that I wanted to cover but I felt it would be choppy. I've had this particular ending planned from very early on
> 
> So, seeing as I had so many other little moments from other points in Jughead, Betty and little Emi's journey that I want to explore and I'm not quite ready to give up the Joneses journey just yet, I'm thrilled to announce that I've been working on a bunch of one-shots in this universe.
> 
> My new story will be called "We're Making It Through (I And You)" and will be a collection of one-shots and little moments carrying on from this story. While after so much drama and angst, I wanted to end this story on a bang, too (though I am very nervous about everyone's thoughts!), the one-shots will be like their happily ever after with a much different tone to this story itself. Expect lots of fluff, lots of domesticity and all the happiness that Bughead deserve after everything I've put them through.
> 
> Keep an eye out for "We're Making It Through (I And You)" - hopefully it will be up next week! I hope you'll come and join me and the Jones family!


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